Gunsmith Cats RoboCop II: Past Mistake
by Japan Boy
Summary: Part two of a two-part duology: The sequel to 'The Trouble With Ed', a renegade cyborg goes after Rally, Minnie-May AND RoboCop with a burning hatred for all three. Who is this rogue robot, what is he after, & why does it have such a mad-on for the trio of crime-fighters? The answers could be much more horrible than the mystery itself. Rated M. Please review if read.


For Sheriff John Bunnell, whose 'World's Wildest Police Videos' & other similarly-themed

programs have showed us the real world of which police officers live in every day & have

also taught us all on how to better protect ourselves from becoming victims of a crime.

For television personality John Walsh, whose highly acclaimed 'America's Most Wanted'

program has helped to put hundreds of dangerous criminals where they belong - in jail.

For all the active & retired police officers from all around the world, who risk life & limb every

day in order to 'Protect & Serve' as they've been sworn to do from the first day they put on the

badge, even if it means laying down his/her own life to do the job they set out to do, & to the

loving memory to all police officers who have done just that, getting killed in the line of duty.

To the loving memory of the 12 victims of the brutal shooting in Aurora, Colorado on July 20th,

2012. Our hearts & deepest prayers go out to all 12 victims & to all their families & friends.

To the loving memory of the six victims of the Milwaukee shooting that occurred on August

5th, 2012. Again, our hearts & prayers go out to all of the victim's families & friends.

To the loving memory of actor Robert DoQui, who portrayed Sergeant Reed in all three

'RoboCop' films (Robert DoQui passed away on February 9, 2008. The man was 73).

And to the loving memory of actor Daniel O'Herlihy, who portrayed the OCP Chairman,

aka 'The Old Man' in 'RoboCop' (1987) & 'RoboCop 2' (1990) (Daniel O'Herlihy passed

away of natural causes on February 17, 2005. The man was 85 years of age).

**GUNSMITH CATS/ROBOCOP II:**

**PAST MISTAKE**

2012 by Anthony Ogozalek

'The danger of the past was that men became slaves. The danger of the future is that man may become robots.'

- Erich Fromm (1900-1980)

**CHAPTER I**

On a well-manicured lawn in a suburban neighborhood, two men dressed in black from the neck down & black woolen caps on their heads quietly but quickly tiptoe their way across as they make a beeline for the window near the front door, keeping an eye out for anyone who might be witness to their soon-to-be crime as well as any local law authorities in the immediate area. With a crowbar in one hand & a thick sack in the other, these nighttime burglars get ready to do a home invasion & make off with whatever valuables they can grasp. The lawn had a stone path leading up to the front of the house, trimmed shrubs on either side of the entrance & a quartet of little gnome ornaments aligned in parallel with the shrubs, each standing about a foot tall. Unopposed & unimpressed by the house's décor, both burglar suspects continue making their way towards their objective.

When they get within four-five feet of the gnomes, they simultaneously come alive & swivel in the direction of the thieves as one of them makes an announcement through a mini microphone on its throat, its voice mechanical but strangely comical.

"Attention! You are in violation of a protected household! You have ten seconds to vacate the premises, or we'll be forced to take immediate action!"

Not intimidated by the threat but highly amused by their performance, the two burglars grin widely at each other & point playfully at the gnomes that now act like they're man of the house, barely able to contain their laughter & keep themselves from bursting out.

That's when the gnomes did something the twin thieves never expected: from out of their midsections of each lawn ornament, a compartment opens up to reveal twin miniature M-16s all aimed right at the two burglars, both of whom realize the situation being no longer amusing as their facial features turn from amused to shocked & frightened.

"Eat lead, suckers!", all four gnomes say at once. Before either burglar could do or say anything, the four gnomes open fire at them, peppering their bodies with round after round of hot lead as blood fly out through each bullet hole made on their person. Seconds later, the burglars fall dead across the lawn as the gnomes cease fire, their guns still smoking when an off-camera voice now erupts in the background.

"_Who needs guard dogs watching over your home, when you've got…GUARD GNOMES! The very latest in household security! Also available in shotgun-shooting & flame-throwing! And coming soon…!_"

The television commercial now cuts to a new scene of another burglar going across a new home, armed with a flashlight in one hand & a sack in the other. He takes a couple steps across the lawn when he takes one step too many & makes a clicking sound - right before he explodes in a million pieces in a powerful & bright blast, body parts, dirt & accessories flying everywhere!

The off-camera voice resumes speaking.

"_LAWN MINES!_ _Protect your home from thieves, arsonists…and even the greedy I.R.S.! In both traditional exploding & electrical shock modules! Check your retailer for availability!_"

The television now changes its screen to 'Media Break' news anchors, Eurasian host Casey Wong & bubble-blonde Jess Perkins. Casey was dressed in a dark gray business suit & tan tie, while Jess was wearing a pink dress. Smiling like they haven't a care in the world, Casey was the first to speak.

"Welcome back. I'm Casey Wong with Jess Perkins. In Russia, the Russian Speznaz in Moscow have rounded up a local gang of the Bratva, another name for the Russian mafia. When searching the vehicle the gang was eluding authorities in, they found a cache of a dozen boxes of caviar - the country's so-called 'Black Gold', which can equal up to thousands in the black market. The Bratva were taken in by authorities, but only after a brutal shootout that left two of the fleeing Bratva dead & an officer badly wounded. Brought down Russian-style, these illegal caterers will undoubtedly be facing life imprisonment by the Russian Government as the officer who was wounded in the firefight got rushed to the hospital for treatment."

Jess Perkins took the reigns as the cameras turn to her, briefly facing Casey with a grin.

"But _I _believe he'll pull through Casey, considering that the Russian Speznaz are the toughest of the tough!" She shares a slight chuckle with Casey, who nods before Jess continues her report facing the camera again. "On the home front, four weeks have gone by since the ED-209 fiasco which reared its ugly head over in the Windy City of Chicago, a day that was all but forgotten by its residents there & across the country. In a bizarre turn of events, Donald Johnson, a one-time executive over at the now-defunct OCP & who helped to _end _the 209 threat, had been given an offer even _he _never expected upon his return home to Detroit - to become the new President & owner of Silverman Robotix, the company once owned by its founder, renegade businessman Paxton Silverman who plotted world domination behind the backs of everyone who placed their trust into. When asked as to how he _felt _about this unexpected welcome-home offer, Johnson had _this_ to say."

A background picture of said man facing an off-camera reporter with a microphone to his mouth zooms in & takes up the whole screen. An African-American man with a short & frizzled haircut wearing a light gray business suit, black tie, white undershirt & thin-rimmed glasses over his eyes, Johnson began to speak.

"Well, I guess I'd be lying if I said I _wasn't _surprised by the offer of the Silverman Robotix company, let alone to be its new _president_, of all things. But still, these last four weeks have been nothing short of a blessing to me. I thought I was making a fresh new start when I worked _for _the company under Paxton Silverman's wing, but when I discovered what the man was _really _up to, I helped to put a stop to it, with the unyielding assistance from Chicago's famed Gunsmith Cats Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins & Detroit's very own Dr. Marie Lazarus & RoboCop themselves. Were it not for them, I honestly wouldn't be here right now & given this _true _second chance."

"Now that you _have _been given it, Mr. Johnson, just what kind of direction will you be taking Silverman Robotix in?", asked the off-camera reporter.

"For _one _thing, I won't be manufacturing any ED-209s to put on the streets!", Johnson says jokingly as he & the reporter share a laugh before the black man goes on. "But all joking aside, I can say that there are an infinite number of possibilities to go towards. It's just harder to decide on than I first realize, so I can't say for certain, but I _will_ say this: having been giving a new start, I'm going to use this golden opportunity to make sure that the mistakes of both Paxton Silverman & even that of OCP itself won't be repeated. No…I always believed that everyone deserves a second chance, & with this granted to me, I'm going to use it well, & I'm going to use it _right_."

A twelve-inch television that was broadcasting the news gets switched off by a remote at a distance of a dozen feet from a table where two men now sit at, enjoying their late dinners at 11:30 on the evening of June 27th. The first man had a somewhat hefty/burly appearance with a head of brown hair & goatee surrounding his mouth & chin, dressed in a dark gray suit & shoes. His accomplice was slimmer & older by a couple of years, dressed in a dark blue suit & shoes which would look black without light shining on it. His hair was white but kept tidy, & his face seemed to be carved out of stone. These men are none other than Mr. Morton Sr., the one-time CEO of OCP & the former OCP Chairman, aka 'The Old Man'.

In their day, they were well-respected businessmen & conglomerates.

But now, they're broken-down gents without cents: in the days after the incident between the dueling RoboCops, the Old Man had placed the blame of the defunct, renegade 'RoboCop 2' on Dr. Juliette Faxx, a Ph. D & psychologist who had placed the brain of madman/terrorist Cain inside her RoboCop 2 machine where it went rampant & killed many during a presentation the Old Man was making about ridding Detroit City of the highly-addictive drug known as NUKE, a poison Cain himself was addicted to & manufacturing in the Motor City. Taking the advice that was offered to him by Johnson, the Old Man had put Dr. Faxx in the hot seat & unceremoniously fired her from OCP, leaving her without a job but avoiding any prison time.

It still wasn't the end of the ordeal though: in a bizarre twist of events, Dr. Schenck, an OCP roboticist & reluctant assistant to Faxx, had gone to court & testified against not only Dr. Faxx, but also against the Old Man himself & even Shyster Holzgang, a poker-faced attorney at Omni Consumer Products who had a hand in the whole scenario which also included sending the RoboCop 2 unit after former Mayor Marvin Kuzak & his staff when he tried to bail the city out of OCP's greedy hands. Because of Schenck's testimony in court, Shyster Holzgang was sent to prison while the Old Man was sent to a different but similar kind of punishment.

Mr. Morton Sr. fared no better: because he failed to live up to the Delta City deadline, he'd been placed in very hot water by both the city officials & by the Kanemitsu Corporation, the company OCP shared a merger with to get Delta City up & running by clearing out the area of Cadillac Heights in Old Detroit. Completely disgusted by his performance & incompetence, it was Kanemitsu himself who decided on the CEO's fate, which the city officials agreed upon.

It was this: under house arrest with the Old Man himself in a two-story house in a secluded area on Belle Isle, a small island between Lake St. Clair & Lake Erie right next to the United States/Canada border. MacArthur Bridge was the only way on or off the island by land. The rules were that neither was able to set foot out of the house for _any _reason, & visitation from anyone was prohibited. Food, clothing & other vital accessories were provided by officers during shift change, & communications to & from the house were also prohibited unless monitored by the officers standing guard, all of whom were ordered to shoot on sight should either or both attempt an escape.

So far, neither one has, but their frustration is next to impossible to hide, & their privilege of television didn't help one iota.

"Now isn't _that _poetic justice for you!", Mr. Morton Sr. said, slamming down the remote next to his plate of steak, mashed potatoes & corn. "Mr. Johnson, one-time executive of OCP, gets a second chance in the world, & what the hell do _we _get? The goddamned _shaft_, is what!" He then faces the Old Man with an unfriendly look on his face. "And on top of it all, I get placed under house arrest with _who? _The Big Cheese of OCP himself who's turned green with mold! A _nightmare_, is what this is!"

"Quit your useless prattle & finish your dinner, Mr. Morton!", the Old Man said after a forkful of spaghetti with juice to wash it down. "You'll only wear yourself out! Besides, living with you for the past six months of my sentence here ain't exactly a picnic for _me_, either! What you've done to OCP to cause its downfall was a _disaster!_ How _you _of all people could go & run a conglomerate company like OCP is to _laugh!_ It's no wonder both you & OCP ended belly-up like you did!"

Mr. Morton leans in closer to the Old Man, who does the same.

"Like _I _did, Old Man?", Morton growled. "_You're _one to talk! 'Let's take the city private', you said! 'With the cops on strike, we'll let Detroit tear itself apart so we can raid it', you said! So tell me - how'd it work out for you? Not so good, huh? Maybe if you'd reflect upon your _own _failures instead of someone else's…"

"I was trying to get Detroit _back in line_, Mr. Morton!", the Old Man snapped. "Bungling, incompetent _fools_ like Mayor Kuzak _and _yourself are the reasons as to _why _the city was on the verge of collapse! I merely did what was necessary to make it _live_ again!"

"By engineering a citywide police strike, or worse, trying to _kill the Mayor_ when he was only attempting to save the city from itself?! If only you'd have _allowed _the city to pay what was owed you, you'd _still_ be Chairman of OCP! What's more, there'd still _be _an OCP for you to be Chairman _of!_ But nooooo…you had to try & act like God Almighty himself & take it all! As for Mayor Kuzak, he may have been loud & obnoxious, but he still didn't deserve to be assassinated by a giant killer robot which was sent by _you!_"

"He _survived_, didn't he?"

"Yeah, only to be sent to _prison _shortly after! Right now, he's probably wishing he _had _been killed by that RoboCop 2 you engineered & sent after him!"

"Considering he was making a deal with Cain's people to bail the city out, Mayor Kuzak should feel _fortunate _that he's been sent to prison rather than the morgue! And I suppose that firing upon police officers is any better than what _I _did?"

"Excuse _me_, Old Man, but I was _against _that idea from the start!", Morton shouted. "If you want to assess blame for _that_, just go talk to McDaggett! Oh wait, _that's _right…he's _worm food_ now, isn't he? Put under the ground by OCP's own RoboCop…the _original!_"

"Yes, the original unit that later rebelled & turned against its creators, helping with its descendancy! And where can we point the finger at for _that_, Mr. Morton?"

Morton was on the verge of grabbing the Old Man by the shirt & bringing him to eye level with a malevolence that can fry wood.

"Watch your goddamn _tongue_, Old Man!", he barked fiercely. "Assessing blame on & even speaking ill of _me_ is _one _thing! But don't you _dare _do so of my son, _you hear me?! _It was _he _who helped save you from a major setback when Dick Jones' ED-209 _killed_ one of your own during its debut presentation! It was _my boy _who made you all look good while crime was at its highest, so hear this: you _ever _speak that way about my son Bob again, & so God help me, Old Man, I'll…"

One of the doors leading outside was abruptly opened by one of the officers on duty, an M-16 slung over his shoulder. Both men cease their irate squabble to face him, settling down.

"Hey you two! What's all the ruckus? What's going on in here?", he demanded.

Mr. Morton & the Old Man quickly put a reassuring smile on their faces.

"Uh nothing, officer", said the Old Man in a friendly tone. "We were just…reminiscing about old times, is all. If we were getting a little too loud & disturbing your peace, we humbly apologize for doing so."

The officer was all business.

"Well, save it for morning! It's a half-hour away from your bedtime, & you both know damn well that midnight is when you two should be in bed!"

Both men take a quick look at the clock before turning back to the officer, still smiling.

"Sorry officer, we…didn't realize just how _late _it was", Mr. Morton said as the Old Man nodded. "We'll head up for bed immediately, just as soon as we clear the table."

"Be quick about it!"

"Yes sir", both men said as the officer exit's the house, closing the door behind him. Once he was gone, Morton & the Old Man face each other again in the same malevolence, their smiles all but gone.

"We shall finish this discussion tomorrow, Mr. Morton!", the Old Man said in a low but hard voice.

"You damn _right _we will, old man!", Morton said in the same manner. "And it's _your _turn for the dishes, don't forget!"

Without another word, both men began cleaning the table, keeping their distance from each other & sour, unhappy looks on their faces.

Outside the complex, the officer who ordered them to bed for the night rejoined his fellow law enforcers as a patrol van came up.

"Any trouble, son?", asked a senior officer, undoubtedly the one in charge.

"Nothing I couldn't handle, Captain. Just sending the grandpas to bed", he says, getting a chuckle from everyone.

"Well, now it'll be your chance to turn in, now that your replacements have arrived", the Captain said as the van rolled up to a stop before the Captain opens the back doors to let out the newly arrived troops, a baker's dozen in all. Armed with high-powered automatic rifles, shotguns & other armaments, the men line up in parallel with each other as they get addressed, standing at attention. The Captain steps up to one officer & addresses him.

"Good evening, Sergeant Wilson", he says.

"Good evening, Captain", Wilson greets. "Lieutenant Hedgecock sent us in to relieve you & your men of duty for our unit to take over & keep watch until noon tomorrow."

The eldery Captain nodded.

"Always quite punctual that Hedgecock is, yes?", the Captain joked as the younger man smiled. "In any case, thank you, Sergeant. My men & I shall be taking our leave & pick up here at that time tomorrow. And remember - if you need any extra assistance for any reason…"

"We'll be sure to call, Captain", Wilson said. "But I doubt those two senile old bastards'll be any kind of problem with me & my men, truth be told."

"Well, don't misjudge them, son. In spite of their age, they're a lot tougher than you might realize, especially since they were both the head honchos over at OCP once. Now they go at each other's throats in there like caged tigers."

"Understood Captain", Wilson said. The eldery officer looks him over & sees nothing short of a man poised & fit to fulfil his duty. He stares at his men & sees no different. Turning back to Wilson, he nods his approval.

"All right, I see you & your squadron have things well in hand here, Sergeant", the Captain said, facing his own troops. "Let's pack 'em up & roll out so we can go home, men!"

"Yes sir!", the Captain's men say all at once & start entering the van in the rear, one at a time in a single file. When the last of the eldery Captain's men get aboard, he does so himself & takes a last look at Wilson with an approved smile before closing both rear doors with a clang, giving the driver his cue to take off. Once the van was out of sight, Wilson addresses his men & they take their assigned positions, weapons at the ready & on high alert for anything.

For the next ten to fifteen minutes, everything was a scene of peace, from the sounds of crickets chirping to the faint sound of the water washing onto the shore from a distance. During this peaceful time, a black SUV with tinted windows arrives basically undetected by all the other commuters, few in numbers as they are at this late hour. This SUV had secretly & silently trailed the patrol van from a distance & stayed out of sight until it had fled the island to avoid any kind of suspicion. With scanners, it waited until the van was off the MacArthur Bridge before it gets closer towards the house but at a far enough range away from Wilson & his men. Satisfied with the distance, the vehicle's sole occupant opens the door & exits as a large metal foot makes contact with the ground.

Two of Wilson's men enjoy a cigarette while watching the two windows which were still lit, the only ones that were. They shone up on the upper floor, which was undoubtedly their bedrooms. The two smoking officers stare with amusement.

"Watch this. I'll bet they're wondering if they still recall how to put on their night-nights!", one said to his partner in a soft tone jokingly as both men share a slight chuckle.

"Yeah! My grandmother still knows how to put _hers _on, & she's _90!_", his partner said, & their chuckling becomes a bit louder.

But not so loud as to miss hearing a slight rustling in the bushes.

Putting their smokes out with their rifles aimed, both men turn towards the sound & slowly approach it with the utmost caution.

"You heard that, right?", asked the first man, his tone all business.

"Sure did", said the second man. "Shall I contact the Sergeant?"

"Not just yet. It could be just somebody who got lost or a squirrel up in the brush. Stay here while I go check it out."

"Copy. Be careful", his partner said as the first man nodded & proceeded into the brush. His rifle at the ready, he makes a clear statement as he delves further.

"Attention whoever you are, you're trespassing upon private property!", he stated firmly. "Please vacate the premises immediately, & no charges will be filed against you! I will _not _warn you a second time!"

Sixteen seconds pass before the man hears another rustling in the brush, & it's evident to him that the intruder has chosen to refuse & ignore his warning.

_Big mistake, fella! You've just blown it!_, he thought with only a pinch of regret. Like a cat in the dark, he sneaks up on his quarry with almost no sound. Hearing another rustling in the bushes, he makes his final statement with his rifle aimed dead center.

"You're under arrest, fella!", he said. "Come out of the bushes slowly & keep your hands where I can see them! If you don't comply in the next ten seconds, you _will _be _shot!_"

"Sure officer! Anything you say!", said a voice that sounded strangely cold & mechanical.

The intruder complied with the officer's orders & stepped out from his hiding place, the sound of servos cutting the noise of the rustling. When he makes his appearance in full before the officer, the latter's eyes go wide with disbelief.

_What in the hell is _he _doing here?!_, he thought. So distracted was the officer by _his _sudden appearance that he failed to notice the Auto-9 pistol gripped tightly in his white metal hand as it gets aimed & fired at the officer's forehead.

High velocity rounds pierce flesh & bone in a split second.

_Within the house, upper level:_

After putting their leftovers in the refrigerator & empty dishes in the sink, both Mr. Morton & the Old Man headed upstairs to their rooms in complete silence, not wanting to see each other hence their contempt. Mr. Morton's room was the first door on the right of the upstairs hallway, while the Old Man's was at the end to the left. They can at least agree that having separate rooms to sleep in was a good idea, as both individuals could barely stand being in each other's presence during the day. To share & sleep in the same room at night would undoubtedly drive one another berserk beyond reason.

They took great comfort in _that_.

"Bulbous, pathetic & blubberous cretin!", the Old Man growled softly as he removes his tie. "What _were _they thinking, deciding OCP's future to an arrogant _pig_ such as Mr. Morton?!"

Mr. Morton was no different in thought as he takes off his own tie over in his room.

"Pompous old fart!", he growled softly. "It's because of people like _him _that's ruining this once great country! The way things are going, we might as well hand it over to someone like Genghis Khan or Hitler & let _them _run it! _Hmph!_"

Just as he was about to remove his shoes, a burst of gunfire erupted from outside the two-story house, followed by sounds of more guns firing & men yelling orders.

"What the _hell?_", Mr. Morton said, rushing over to the window of his room to see what was causing the ruckus. What he saw was a living nightmare: two officers get their brains blown out by an unseen assailant & dropping to the ground as the men stationed at the house fire blindly at the bushes, yelling. Taking his eyes off the horrid scene, Mr. Morton raced to the door & opened it in a rush only to find the Old Man heading his way, his facial features in a state of panic.

"Just _what _is going _on_ out there, Mr. Morton?", the Old Man said nervously.

"To tell you the truth, old man…I _really _don't think you want me to answer that!", Morton said in a shaky voice, his face just like the Old Man's.

The front door bursts open, & one of the officers - Wilson - calls out their names, turning the lights on.

"Mr. Chairman! Mr. Morton!"

Hurriedly, both men rush downstairs & come close to toppling each other in their attempt.

"Officer, _what's _going _on?!_", the Old Man asked, rushing to his side with Morton.

"Listen up!", Wilson began, his Ithica Pump-Action shotgun in his hands. "We've got an unknown assailant or assailants attacking us! Along with keeping both of you here in this place, we're also assigned to protect & keep you safe!"

"'Keep us _safe_'?!", Morton says with disdain. "How can you even _do _that when your _own men_ are getting _killed _out there?!"

"Easy! Let's hear him out, Mr. Morton!", the Old Man said as men continue to scream in horror mixing in with gunshots. "What shall we _do_, officer?"

"I want you two to get into the basement of the complex & remain there until this is over!", Wilson ordered. "Do _not _come out under _any _circumstances unless we say otherwise! Once my men & I deal with the trouble, we'll come get you & take you straight to Lieutenant Hedgecock where he'll stay guard until we can find another haven for you men to…"

His sentence got cut short when a stray bullet came in through a window & strikes Wilson in the side of his head, going all the way through & splattering flesh, bone & blood. His lifeless body fell to one side, leaving the Old Man & Mr. Morton Sr. stupefied for several moments. The continuing sounds of battle right outside the house snapped them out of it, & act immediately.

"The _hell _with this!", Morton growled, grabbing the shotgun from Wilson's corpse.

"What do you think you're _doing?!_", the Old Man asked frantically. "The police have been assigned to protect us, sure, but have you forgotten that we're still _under house arrest?!_"

"I haven't forgotten a _damn thing_, old man!", Morton said steely at him. "But whoever is attacking our so-called 'protectors' is making goddamned _minced meat _out of them! And since they _can't _keep us safe, we need to do it ourselves before we _both _end up like _they_ are!"

Taking the Walther P-5 handgun from Wilson's side holster, Morton tosses it to the Old Man, who catches it in both hands.

"Now _come on!_", Morton said, rising off the floor & heading into the living room. The Old Man looks over the handgun & makes a sour face.

"Typical!", he said with disgust, being offered a lesser weapon than his 'companion' has. It hardly mattered: an unknown enemy was killing those designed to look after & protect them, & one by one they were getting their asses handed to them by this threat, as evident by the screams of death mixed in with guns blazing & bullets flying. Even the littlest kind of defense was better than none, & the Old Man would take & use it to the fullest.

From outside the house, all the shooting ceased as a white metal hand smashes a metal box on the side, plunging the interior back in total darkness.

The Old Man was about to join Morton Sr. when all the lights in the house went out. His heart was beating faster & faster as he can neither see nor hear any trace of the assailant(s). He saw that the door was still open, but he dared not even _think_ to try to make a break for it: he'd be killed just as suddenly as the officers had been. If anyone can wipe out a squad of police officers without too much difficulty, then no way he or Morton would stand a chance.

Unless they can get them in closer quarters, leaving not much room for maneuverability.

All they need to do is wait until they set foot inside.

It wasn't long a wait at all: the sound of heavy footsteps were all that the Old Man can hear aside from his own heartbeat, which was galloping like a jackrabbit & his breathing was coming in quick panicked gasps. He fought to regain control for fear of giving up his position when he wasn't ready to spring his trap. All it would take was a quick headshot, & he would be safe. He just needed to get a bit closer, & one bullet to the head like the attacker did to Wilson would put an end to him.

And he wouldn't need Mr. Morton's help either - he'd do it all on his own.

The footsteps were now muffled by the carpeting on the floor, but the Old Man could still hear them enough to know that he was getting closer. Only a few more inches, & the former Chairman of OCP will take down the intruder when the police couldn't.

Making his stand in the hallway that lead to the living room where Mr. Morton was, the Old Man took aim & waited.

Only a few more steps more…

When the assailant came into view from around the corner of the wall, the Old Man's eyes went agape. Even in total darkness, he can make out a familiar form he knows all too well.

_I-It _can't _be! _Him_?!_, the Old Man thought, refusing to believe what his eyes were showing him. Stricken with fear, he couldn't move or talk as the figure was now staring down at him with eyes hidden behind a tinted visor he knew was there. By reaction, the Old Man fired his weapon, pumping bullet after bullet at the dark figure ahead of him. Each hot round bounced off the hide of the intruder, doing no significant damage even as he stands like a statue.

When his gun goes empty, he gets his legs moving & turns about face, heading down the hallway in sheer panic, hardly making a sound doing so.

In the living room, Mr. Morton stayed still in the darkness, the confiscated shotgun by his side which he'll use once he gets the slightest glimpse of who dares to attack a squadron of armed police officers & gun them down in cold blood. He had thought about calling the Old Man to join him, but didn't want to risk giving away his position when the lights went out everywhere.

The Old Man would have to hope his weapon would be enough to bring the intruder down.

Standing in complete silence & remaining vigilant, Morton listened for any more sounds as he keeps an eye on both doorless entrances to the room from the left & right.

Over to his right, he hears a slight sound that makes him aim his shotgun & presses the trigger, causing a loud bang. Despite the dark, Morton saw that who he shot _wasn't _the one who had been killing the police stationed outside the complex.

It was the Old Man himself.

And Mr. Morton Sr. had just shot him in the chest.

Eyes wide, the Old Man was slammed against the wall & slid down, the last remnants of his life in a state of shock & confusion as he stares at Morton. The Old Man mouthed to him 'Why', but no sound came out. Only blood did, & he fell over on his side as Wilson had, his blood staining a spot on the wall behind him as his lifeless body hit the carpeted floor.

His facial expression of utter shock, Morton slowly backed away from the body of the ex-Chairman of OCP, his mind still trying to comprehend what he'd done. He felt a pang of guilt in his gut that was as heavy as the world itself, knowing how Atlas from Greek mythology must've felt. Sure, the Old Man was a pompous old fool who did Detroit no good & even tried to kill the Mayor at one time among other unlawful things, but he still didn't deserve a shotgun blast to the chest, let alone by his one-time successor at OCP.

Even if he wasn't already placed under house arrest for his blunders while at OCP, Mr. Morton Sr. now has a reason to be put in confinement: murder.

Unable to take his eyes off the body of his housemate, Morton slowly backs away towards the other end of the room, his shotgun still held tight in his grip.

"Why thank you, Mr. Morton! You've just made myjob all the more easier!"

The cold mechanical voice from right behind him snapped Morton out of his shocked state, causing him to swing around with his shotgun aimed. But before another shot can be fired from the weapon, a pair of large white metal hands grabs the shotgun & gets pulled away from Morton's grip with almost no effort. As Morton falls to the floor due to his legs feeling like jelly, he watches in stunned silence as those same hands actually _bend _the shotgun out of shape like it was made out of taffy into a metallic version of a Christmas candy cane. The firearm bent & now useless, the intruder tosses it away where it hits the wall before landing on the carpet.

There was only _one _person Morton knew of who could perform such a feat.

"R-RoboCop?", he asks, barely able to get the name out.

"No. Not RoboCop. Not _exactly_", said the intruder.

Morton shook his head in confusion.

"T-Then, if y-you're _not _RoboCop, then…w-who the hell _are _you?"

A metal left hand suddenly snatches Mr. Morton by his neck in a vice-like grip & brings him to eye level with the intruder, his feet dangling over a foot from the floor. In spite of the lack of light, Morton can tell that the intruder had the same chin guard as the original RoboCop's, but the helmet was white like the hands that seemed baby blue in the dark. Instead of the slit visor, this machine had a tinted visor that more or less resembled that of a Praetor Pro or Sniper helmet which helicopter pilots would use. The body itself was basically identical to RoboCop's in every way, only in a shade of a dark blue like a traditional officer's uniform which looked black in the lightless room.

"Who am _I_, Mr. Morton?", the robotic intruder asks, staring hard at the man through its visor. "No one, really. Let's just say that I'm a…past mistake your son, Bob Morton, made. You see, something was taken from me a long time ago when your son created me, so now I've come back to claim what's rightfully mine. Do you know what that _is_, Mr. Morton?"

The captive man did his best to shake his head in the intruder's grip.

"A name. A name _I _should now bear as my own!"

"B-Bob…w-what did…", Mr. Morton tried to say.

"Ah. I can tell you miss your son…_don't_ you, Mr. Morton?"

Again, the man attempted to nod his head in the intruder's grip.

"Yes. It's always a tragedy when a father outlives his own kids. I should know how that feels, Mr. Morton - I've been there myself, living with that pain for quite some time. Even made into what you see now, it still hurts more than I care to admit! The pain is very much like a cancer you can't stop or treat, & eventually it will consume you whole & become the very death of you! But I can help you, Mr. Morton. I can make it all go away & get you reunited with him."

With his other hand, the intruder places it on top of Morton's head.

"Please tell your son I said 'Hi'!", he concluded before using both his hands to turn Mr. Morton's head 180 degrees with a sickening crack that echoed throughout the bottom half of the house. The intruder drops the lifeless body of Mr. Morton Sr. & watches it land on its stomach, the head facing the ceiling with eyes not seeing anything. Staring at the body of his creator's father & that of the Old Man for a couple seconds more, the RoboCop impostor turns around & exits the house, its job done.

Not even bothering to look at the dead officers, the impostor heads back to his vehicle & drives off, finished with his rounds for the night.

**CHAPTER II**

_At that same time, at 14131 Meyers in Detroit, the near future:_

The Community Resource Centers of America is one of 18 places in Detroit for orphaned kids to reside until getting adopted by loving parents. In business since 2007, the building & its staff are committed to caring for young ones for as long as needed until the big day comes.

Tonight, the business being conducted inside becomes nothing like its daily routine: only a half-hour ago, a band of six heavily-armed African-American terrorists have stormed the premises & brandished their Uzis & handguns, startling the staff & children. While most of them were able to escape, many were scared into surrendering & remaining on the spot. Before being dragged out from behind the counter, the female clerk pressed the silent alarm & alerted the police.

In no time, local law enforcement was racing to the scene & formed a perimeter around the building on Meyers Road. In charge of this operation was none other than Sergeant John Reed, with officers Manson & Starkweather being his right-hand men. Armed to the teeth & sporting a pair of large floodlights, the police were being held back by a barrage of gunfire from the black men, each shot almost hitting home.

For five minutes, Reed's negotiations were anything but successful.

But it didn't mean he'd stop trying.

"How many hostages did you say were still inside, Manson?", Reed asks him behind his patrol car.

"The teachers that got away with the majority of the children can't recall fully, Sarge, but they _do _know that there's more than enough for them to use as shields!", Manson replied.

"Then we'd better do something fast before they get the _chance_, Sarge!", Starkweather added grimly. "Once they do, things'll only get _ugly _from that point on!"

"Easy, Starkweather!", Reed said. "I know you're scared for the kids & I can't blame you, but we'll only be sending them to an early grave if we make any foolish risks on their behalf! I'm going to try again to negotiate with these assholes!"

"And if that _still _doesn't work?"

"_Then _we'll move in - but on _my _word!", Reed says, rising from his hiding spot & putting the megaphone to his mouth. "Attention kidnappers! This is Sergeant John Reed of the Detroit Police Department! Are you prepared to negotiate now? We want nothing more than to have this scenario to come to a peaceful solution! Whatever your demands are, we're willing to listen! All we ask is that you release your remaining hostages…"

Another volley of gunfire erupts from two of the windows & pepper the police cars with bullets as Reed takes cover behind his vehicle where Manson & Starkweather are. Windows on several police cars get shattered by the onslaught. The leader of the group - a fairly-built man with a bald head, black pants & shoes & white tank-top shirt - puts a megaphone to his own lips & begins to speak from an open window on the ground floor.

"You're willing to listen, huh?! Good! Listen to _this: _we've got six staff & about thirty of these little brats as hostages! Now, unless you want us to be sending you corpses one at a time, here's what's _going_ to happen: you & your squadron are going to vacate these premises in five minutes! If we see even the _slightest _speck of blue anywhere, _or_ if you simply don't comply with our orders in that time, this orphanage will quickly become a _morgue!_ Understand?!"

_Sorry, dirtbag - not gonna happen on _my _shift!_, Reed thought angrily. He wants to get the hostages out of their bloody grasp, but even _he _knew it might be too big of a risk, especially when the hostages are nothing but small & defenseless children at the mercy of those who'd kill them without remorse or regret.

Another blaring of sirens caught everyone's attention as a new police car came rushing up north on Meyers after getting off the Jeffries Freeway. Reed had expected more police to arrive on the scene, but this was only one extra squad car.

But if the occupant of this lone car was being driven by who Reed _thinks_ it is, then this one car may be all he & the rest need.

"I pray to the man upstairs that's who I _think _it is, Sarge!", Manson hoped as Starkweather nodded.

"It could be, son!", Reed said, allowing a small smile to cross his face. The siren blared its loudest as it approached Reed & company before screeching to a halt & its siren ceases. Once stopped, the driver's side opens up as a large metal foot hits pavement, followed by the other. A figure of silvery-blue metal with a black chest, hands & forearms, neck & chin guard standing a good height of more than seven feet tall. The helmet had a slit visor with a tinted window.

Once he was a man. A cop. A good cop named Alex Murphy.

Now he is the Future of Law Enforcement. The ultimate police officer.

RoboCop.

"I hear you're having a bit of…difficulty, Sergeant Reed", the metal cop says.

"I suppose that's putting it mildly, Murphy!", Reed says as he, Manson & Starkweather approach the new arrival. "Here's what we've got so far: there's still six adults & about thirty kids inside the place, & any & all attempts at negotiating with their abductees have gone to shit! They're also ordering us to be gone in less than five minutes, or else they'll start killing hostages one at a time!"

"We're right at the end of our rope, Murphy!", Starkweather said. "We try to make a move, we might as well be killing the hostages ourselves!"

"Yeah, Murph! If _you _have any good ideas on how we should play this out, don't be shy about them!", Manson adds.

"I never am, Officer Manson", RoboCop said, turning to Reed. "Sergeant, keep your men back. Let _me _try to negotiate with these creeps."

"_You? _But Murphy, those dickheads are _not _in a negotiating mood! How can you _possibly _persuade them to listen if…", Reed started to say before Murphy kindly cuts him off.

"Trust me on this, Sergeant. I know what I'm doing", RoboCop said, already making his way towards the orphanage before Reed, Manson or anyone else could object. Reed wasn't crazy about it too much, but he _does _trust Murphy with his life, machine or not. And while waiting to act had its benefits, it also carried a risk: the longer they wait, the deadlier things may get for the hostages.

Without a pause, Reed orders all his troops back as RoboCop makes his way towards the orphanage, stopping between it & Reed's squadron. Using his voice as a built-in megaphone, he begins addressing those inside.

"Attention kidnappers! You are all under arrest! Release your hostages, lay down your weapons & surrender yourselves immediately, or there will be…trouble!"

After a few tense moments, the hostage-takers give their answer.

"_Bite me_, robot!", one of the thugs shouts as he & four others start firing their Uzis & handguns at the metal cop as Reed & company take shelter behind their vehicles. Like a metallic statue, RoboCop stands still as bullet after bullet strike his person without doing any noticeable damage. The barrage lasts for a full thirty seconds before Robo makes his move.

_They should all be in position right about…now_, thought Murphy, drawing his Auto-9 gun from the compartment in his right leg. Taking aim at his first target, he fires his pistol & hits the shoulder of the unlucky punk, causing him to drop his weapon as he falls to the ground.

Next came the sound of a pair of flash-bang grenades that exploded from inside, filling the room with bright light & smoke. Before the remaining punks can react, a squadron of SWAT officers came crashing in & began shouting orders to the hoodlums to hit the floor. In about ten seconds, no sounds of further threats to the cops _or _the hostages erupted - only those from the SWAT members, ordering the hoodlums to remain where they are unless they wish to get shot.

_Perfect timing, Lieutenant Hedgecock_, thought Murphy, strolling towards the front doors & entering as Reed, Manson & Starkweather rush in behind him, their guns drawn. When they get inside the room where the hostages were being held, they find that five of the six hoodlums are already in custody by Hedgecock & his SWAT team, all hostages seemingly unharmed. Reed, Manson & Starkweather breathe a collective sigh of relief, pleased that this crisis had no civilian casualties.

"Everybody accounted for?", Reed asked Hedgecock.

"All but one - the leader of this merry little band _and _one child!", he replied.

"You mean to tell us he _escaped?!_ And took a _child _withhim?! How the _hell _did you & your men allow _that _to happen, Lieutenant?!"

"Hey, it ain't _our _fault, Sergeant!", Hedgecock said in defense. "He must've suspected our trap beforehand & took measures to avoid falling into it!"

"Then let's get a move-on before he gets _too _far away!", Reed fumed. "If this shit goes on the road, then we're going to have a whole _new _set of headaches - which _might _have a goddamn casualty attached to it!"

"We may not have to go far at all, Sergeant", RoboCop said, his Auto-9 raised.

"What are you saying, Murphy?"

The cyborg cop didn't reply to Sergeant Reed. Instead, he switched to his thermograph vision to search for the fleeing leader & his young hostage, scanning the upper floors. If what he suspects is true, he should be seeing their heat signatures very soon.

And he does.

Lieutenant Hedgecock's theory turns out to be correct: up on the next floor, the leader of the kidnappers eluded capture even before RoboCop had started making his surrender speech. Grabbing a seven-year-old girl & placing his Uzi to her head, ordering her to keep quiet as he rushes down the upper corridor, infuriated. In disgust, he threw the girl onto the floor & aims his weapon at her. Even if he had no gun, the little girl was too scared to try & run away. And now she stares down the barrel of an Uzi that was held by a lunatic with no hope of salvation from any officer.

"Can you _believe _this shit?!", he spat. "Tell me something: just _what _kind of a town is it when a guy can't make the simplest of deliveries, huh?! All we wanted to do was make an easy buck or two! Is that _really_ too much to ask?!"

When the little girl didn't reply, he went on more irate than before.

"Nothing to say about it, you little whore?! Why am I not surprised?!" His tone went down an octave softer, but his attitude did not. "No, you're too young to know what the fuck it is I'm talking about! But guess what? You never _will!_ Because I lost it all, I need for someone to take the plunge _with _me! And one guess as to who's volunteering!"

His Uzi aimed anew, the hoodlum leader is now seconds away from taking out a life that hasn't even started to live.

From directly below, RoboCop spots the leader & his captive with his thermograph vision & sees that he's about to execute the child. His gun raised, he fires rapidly at the ceiling & makes a circling move with his arm as bullets fly up & past the startled hoodlum leader, never getting a chance to fire his own gun.

"What the _fuck_…_?!_", he starts to say as the floor beneath him gives way & he drops down through the circled opening RoboCop made.

"Greetings lawbreaker…!", the cyborg cop started to say, stepping out of the man's path as he hits the floor first on his feet, then his ass, & finally his head with a grunt.

"And good night!", RoboCop finishes to the now-unconscious creep. When he looks up at the hole he made in the ceiling, Murphy sees the little girl who was taken captive & asks if she was all right. When she nods 'yes', the edge she leaned against on her hands & knees gave way, & now it was _her _taking the plunge.

But unlike the felon who took her, she gets caught in mid-air by RoboCop, who snatches her with ease & being careful as to not make a scratch on her person.

"Do not worry, little one. _I _have you", he tells her calmly. "And you are now safe."

"Thank you, RoboCop", she says, giving him a hug.

"You are most welcome."

Once thet saw the child was safe, Sergeant Reed, the other officers & the hostages were all heading towards them as one of Hedgecock's SWAT members take the unconscious leader into custody & RoboCop gently puts the little girl onto the floor to rejoin the other hostages.

"Hey Robo!", one kid, a young boy, says to him.

"Yes?", he asks.

"Nice shootin', pardner!", the boy says in his best John Wayne imitation, giving him two thumbs up. Despite the horrible ordeal they went through, the other kids & staff let out a little laugh, glad to have lightened the dreary mood. That also included the officers themselves. Even RoboCop himself gets into the swing of things, returning his own thumbs up back to the kid who did so first.

"Hey man! _This _here is what being a police officer is _really _all about!", Starkweather says with a large grin, being surrounded by a bunch of happy kids. "Am I right, or what?"

"To quote my man Isaac Hayes, Starkweather, 'You damn right'!", Reed says with glee as he copies his fellow officer's grin along with Manson & the other cops in the room. That also went for Lieutenant Hedgecock, who was happy deep within himself that no fatalities occurred.

RoboCop, or rather Murphy, felt as they did as well, having re-experienced the joy of helping those in need when he was still a man of flesh & blood. Seeing the children reminded him of a time when he once visited an orphanage & found a bunch of kids, happy to see & meet an officer of the law, & his vision goes back to that moment for a brief time before returning to the here & now.

"Yes. Children are more than worth it, as they are our future", was what came to mind for him to say.

_Nobody _disagreed with him.

_Ten minutes later:_

When the brief celebration ended, Reed called for a bus to take the remaining children & staff over to a neighboring orphanage to place them in. Once they were gone, both the police & SWAT members located the van the six creeps rode to the building & checked it inside & out once the suspects themselves were placed in a patrol van & taken to the station. What they found within was nothing short of paydirt: a cache of firearms & blades, plus about thirty pounds of both marijuana & cocaine. But they also find something no one expected: two large coffin-like caskets which measured about any of the kids' height, & each were filled to the brim with cold ice.

"God_damn!_", Reed said, eyeing the van's contents. "Not only were these creeps armed to the teeth, they were carrying _sixty pounds _of illegal contraband!"

"And we almost _missed _it!", Manson said. "But why the ice? I mean, the weapons & drugs I clearly understand, but why would those morons have twin caskets full of _ice?_"

"Maybe it's to place the drugs in so that we couldn't smell it, & they'd use the hostages as leverage in case we got wise to & tried to stop them", Starkweather believed.

"You are somewhat correct in your assumption, Officer Starkweather", RoboCop says as all eyes turn to him.

"What do _you _assume, Murphy?", Reed asked.

"Only this, Sergeant Reed, & this is a more _disturbing _scenario: the creeps from this van were planning to use the hostages, preferably the children themselves, to stuff their contraband into their bodies after killing them, two in each, then placed into the caskets where the ice would cover up all scents so that not even K-9 Units could sniff them out."

Murmurs & facial expressions of shock filled the group from Murphy's report.

"Therefore, they could deliver their shit from right under our very noses!", Manson said in disgust.

"So no matter how it all played out, those kids were gonna die right from the start!", added Starkweather.

"You are both correct", Murphy stated.

"Fuck _me!_ That _is _more disturbing, Officer!", Hedgecock said. "And none of us here, not even you, had any inkling to their real ploy until it was almost too late!"

"Fortunately in our case, Lieutenant, 'almost' doesn't count. _Also_ fortunate is that you & your men were in the vicinity when I needed some assistance."

"Not only that, but your plan worked perfectly: _you _keep the creeps distracted at the front while _we _take them by surprise at the rear! I gotta say, Officer: even for a machine, you do some pretty damn good work! Makes me kinda regret the time my men & I were ordered to destroy you once! No offense."

"None taken, Lieutenant. It was not your fault. Like the rest of us, you were deceived by Dick Jones. You were only following orders, not knowing the truth at the time. And…you're not so bad yourself."

Reed, Manson, Starkweather & even Hedgecock grin at Murphy's attempt at humor.

"If you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I have to go", RoboCop says, turning around & walking off.

"_Now _where are you going?", Hedgecock called out to him.

"Somewhere there is a crime happening", the cyborg cop answers without facing them as he heads back to his cruiser.

"Murphy's just like that Energizer bunny! He keeps going & going!", Manson joked.

"That's just the way he is, Manson. Come on - let's get all this stuff back to the station for evidence", Reed said, & his men resumed working just as Murphy enters his vehicle & drives off into the night, searching for that crime he knows is taking place even now.

His night still isn't over yet.

**CHAPTER III**

_June 28__th__, 11:00 p.m., Chicago, Illinois:_

Raymond Rominov, a Russian-American, walks east down the street of West Le Moyne until he reaches the Church of God on the corner of West Le Moyne & North Spaulding Avenue. A man in his mid-thirties, he moved to America with his parents when he was 14 & remained in the U.S. even after his parents returned to Russia. Rominov is a slim but strong individual, not the kind of guy you wanted pissed off at you but happy to have at your side in a jam. Even before he finished High School, Raymond was already running drugs to & from Chicago, getting more than his fair share of clashes with the law. Dressed in blue jeans, black shoes, t-shirt & a light tan overcoat, Raymond walks on up to the Church's front entrance where another man in similar attire was waiting. In Raymond's left hand was a brown briefcase, wheras the other man's hands were clean & empty. A green Chevrolet Sonic Sedan was parked on the side.

"Evening, Boss", the man at the front entrance says as Raymond walks up to him before pausing briefly.

"Brian", Rominov said. "Where's Butch? I do not see him anywhere."

"He'll be here. Trust me. So - you ready to make your transaction in God's House?"

Raymond smirked.

"'_He_' may be forever, comrade Brian, but _we _are not getting any younger. Let's do this."

"Yes sir", Brian concluded as both men open the doors of the church. Upon entering, they discover they were not alone: a pair of young females were sitting near the front of the podium. One of them was a little taller than her companion, with slightly darker flesh color. She was dressed in a thin blue jacket, black jeans, white shoes & t-shirt. Her hair was brown & done in a ponytail as mirrored shades hide a pair of blue eyes. Her partner was dressed in blue shorts, white sneakers with lime socks on her feet, pink t-shirt & thin light green jacket with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. Her hair was a bright auburn that touched her shoulders, & her green eyes were also hidden by a pair of mirrored shades. When they hear the church doors opening, the two females stand & face the newcomers, walking between the two rows of pews. In the hand of the smaller female was a small metal case with spring locks.

"Raymond Rominov, we presume?", asked the taller female.

"You presume correctly, my pretty little Olgas", he replied with a charm to his voice. "You have the money, I see."

"We do, & it's yours…providing you have what we _think _you have in that briefcase you're hefting around."

"Little Olgas, when Raymond Rominov makes a deal, he _always _sees it through to the end no matter what", he says, his voice all business. "How long do you believe I'd last in this harsh cruel world if I kept on cheating my customers of my Grade-A coke for their top dollar? That's not good business, I'm afraid."

The taller female nods.

"Point taken, comrade. Marie, show them the money", she said without turning to her.

"Got it, Rosie", Marie says, pressing a button on the metal case & releasing the locks. Then she slowly opens it up to reveal stacks of twentys. Raymond & Brian whistle softly & nod their approval.

"Six thousand dollars in unmarked bills", Rosie said. "I would say _this _should be enough to cover the cost of it all, am I right?"

"_More_ than enough, little Olga!", Rominov said pleasingly.

"Glad to hear it", said Marie, closing the case & locking it again. "Now, we've kept up _our _end of the bargain. Time for you to do the same. Open _yours_ up."

"Of course", Raymond says, handing his case to Brian, who opens it up. Inside their case are twelve hefty bags of white powder that just fit within. Rosie & Marie take a good look inside & see that what they're now staring at is the real deal. Facing each other, they nod their approval.

"And there you are, my dears…twelve pounds of genuine, Grade-A cocaine!", Raymond stated as Brian closes the case back up. "You want the best coke for your hard-earned cash, you come to _me!_"

"Exactly _why _we contacted you, Rominov", Rosie said. "Shall we trade?"

"Not just yet", Raymond said, his hand going into his jacket. When he takes it out, he does something the girls weren't expecting: Raymond pulls out a Sis Sauer P-228 Caliber Handgun & aims it at the startled ladies. Brian does the same, dropping the case with the coke & pulls out his own weapon of choice: a 9mm Mateba Service Revolver.

"W-Wait a minute! What's the _meaning _of this?", Marie asks, dropping her case & putting her hands up in surrender.

"Yeah, Rominov! What _gives?!_ You've _got _your money!", Rosie says, her hands also up.

"I'm afraid it isn't the _money_ that concerns me, little Olgas!", Raymond says. "You see, not only do I sell my coke in top grade condition, but I can _also _tell when I'm being set up! Now then…who are you girls _really? Cops?!_"

That's when seven officers - six in uniform & a seventh in plain clothes - appear from both behind the back entrance & behind the pews themselves, all of them with their service revolvers & handguns aimed directly at Raymond & Brian. The plain-clothes officer had short black hair, black pants & shoes, white shirt with a gun holster strapped to it & a thin goatee.

"_They're _not, but _we _are! Detective Roy Coleman, Chicago P.D.!", he announced, flashing his badge with his free hand. Guns in hand & aimed, Roy & the other officers quickly surround Raymond & Brian as they raise their hands once their weapons were dropped.

"You girls okay?", Roy asked.

"We'll live. Thanks, Roy!", Rosie says as she & Marie remove both their shades & wigs to reveal an Indian-American girl with jet black hair & her partner, whose hair was really blonde.

Raymond's eyes grow wide as the Indian-American girl pulls out a CZ-75 handgun from underneath her jacket, aiming it at him.

"Wait…_now _I knowyou two!", he says. "You're those two _bounty hunter bitches!_"

"That's right! Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins!", Rally said.

"In the flesh!", Minnie-May adds with a wink.

"We finally caught you _red-handed_, Rominov!", Roy said, taking handcuffs from his back. "Up until now, you've evaded capture from us with nothing to tie your illegal operations to! But now, with that cocaine as hard evidence, I'm positive you'll be facing twenty to thirty years in the slammer! You're going down _hard_, mister!"

Raymond's demeanor was indifferent, & he even smiles a wicked grin.

"I may be going down _hard_, Detective Coleman, but you & your friends here will just be going down…_period!_"

Rally senses something wrong with Rominov's smile: he does so even as he's caught with his pants down, & it's what he said that also made her uneasy. The only way he'd be behaving in this manner is if he _knows_ he'll be back out on the streets in a short time, or maybe even if…

That's when it hit her & even Minnie-May, & their hearts begin to race with dread.

_Oh no!_, Rally thought fearfully.

"_Roy, watch out! It's a trap!_", Minnie-May shouted.

"May, what are you…", Roy started to say when the stained church windows suddenly all shattered by gunfire as bullets & glass shards fly in all directions. Rally, Minnie-May, Roy & the officers all take dive for the floor as both Raymond & Brian use the confusion to their advantage & make a break for it, leaving the drugs & money behind. Running outside, they find his other right-hand man, Butch, along with six others, all firing twin Uzis from North Spaulding Avenue where his Chevrolet was parked. Running to it with Brian at his side, he shouts out to Butch.

"_Impeccable timing, comrade Butch! You & the men make sure that those fools in that church do NOT leave here alive! Understand?!_"

"_Understood, Rominov! Since they're already in God's House, we'll be sure to SEND them to the Man Upstairs!_", Butch shouted back. That's when two of Butch's men get shot in the chest by a pair of well-placed bullets & fall like large lead pipes. Those bullets came from none other than Rally's CZ-75, as Butch & his men now focus their attention solely on her, firing wildly at where she was last spotted. Raymond started to tell his men not to do that, knowing it was all a ploy to try & divide their forces, but his warning came a tad too late: by focusing on Rally, Butch & his gun-toting group leave themselves wide open for attack by Roy Coleman & his officers as they fire back, hitting two more of Butch's goons as they go down & stay down. Butch & his last two guys were all that was left of the group, & with their numbers depleted, they'll be sitting ducks with the police & the two Gunsmith Cats, Uzis or not.

It was time to cut their losses, & Rominov knew it.

"Come on, Butch! _Let's roll!_", Raymond barked as Butch & his last guys headed for their boss' Chevrolet as his thugs lay down cover fire only to be shot down by Rally's crackshot aim, each one getting a bullet in their Adam's Apples, falling to the ground like stones & gurgling on their own blood. Raymond, Brian & Butch all get in the Chevrolet & peel out in seconds, racing up the road towards West North Avenue.

"Dammit!", one officer said, turning to another. "Quick! Call for immediate backup & tell them that Raymond Rominov…"

"_Won't_ be getting too far away! ", Roy stated, cutting him off. He turns to Minnie-May with a smile & a wink. "Ain't that _right_, Minnie-May?"

"You _betcha_, Roy!", she says, returning the gesture. She glances at her watch. "3...2...1..."

_BOOM!_

Just before the Chevrolet Sonic Sedan can even reach West North Avenue, a mild but still powerful explosion rocks the neighborhood & blows the Sedan into a smoldering wreck as the doors fall off, the hood pops up & the tires go flat. In spite of the blast, Raymond, Brian & Butch are all still alive, but soiled & disoriented from this unexpected turn of events & moan in pain as they each fall out of the car & hit the pavement.

Watching the events unfold from way back at the church, Roy Coleman turns to his men, all stunned but amazed.

"See? What'd I tell you?", he says, grinning. "Now, instead of calling for backup, you can simply call for the coroner's office…_and _a meat wagon!"

"Uh…yeah. Right away, Detective", said one officer as he gets on his radio to carry out his orders. Three others race up the street to get Raymond & his crew.

"Miss Hopkins, how _did _you know that Chevrolet was Rominov's car?", asked another officer.

"Come on, officer! A fancy car like that in _this _part of town? That's like finding an ostrich at a penguin party - it sticks out like a sore thumb!", May explains with a smile, punctuating it with a thumb of her own.

"Nice work Rally, Minnie-May!", Roy said to both Gunsmith Cats. "I know this kind of thing isn't your _usual _Modus Operandi & all, but…"

"Hey, don't sweat it, Roy!", Rally says happily. "You've been after Raymond Rominov for _years _now, & in all that time he's pulled the wool over your eyes, so you've asked Minnie-May & myself to help you get a bust on his ass with some solid evidence! How could we refuse?"

"Yeah Roy, for all the things you've done for Rally & myself over the years, we weren't _about _to say 'no' to you!", Minnie-May chimed in. "And this isn't our _first _undercover work!"

Roy Coleman & the three officers with him smile in gratitude.

"But anyway Roy, do you think that cocaine he was peddling will be enough for an actual conviction against Rominov?", Rally asked.

"That, & the fact that we had a hidden camera installed inside the church to record all the evidence with, I'm pretty sure we can have an airtight case!", Roy confided. "I doubt Rominov'll be worming his way out of _this_ one! Thanks, you two!"

"Anytime, Roy!", Rally & Minnie-May say with glee, grinning hugely.

_The Chicago suburbs, 11:20 p.m.:_

Once the coroner's & meat wagon vans came to round up both corpses & handcuffed suspects, another officer gave Rally & Minnie-May a ride home in his cruiser to their house in the suburbs. Thanking them both again, the officer waves & takes off, leaving both Gunsmith Cats alone.

Entering their humble abode, Rally & Minnie-May are all smiles.

"Ha ha! Not bad, huh Rally?", Minnie-May asked gleefully as she & her partner head up to the bedroom.

"Not at _all_, Minnie-May!", Rally replied in the same manner. "Six bail-jumpers, a chance to work with Roy & his department to nab a slippery coke peddler, & to top it all off, a dumbass who thought he could make a profit by trying to burglarize _this _place! All this, & I've only been back on my feet a few days after that ED-209 fiasco last month!"

"Good to see Roy _and _you doing well, Rally, considering the injuries you both received during _that _adventure!", Minnie-May said as they enter the room. "I have to admit, it could've been a _lot _worse!"

"Yeah, that Siobhan slut _did _get me good with her razor, I confess", Rally says as she & Minnie-May change out of their drab. "Luckily those meds the docs gave me & Roy helped a _lot_. Kind of ironic that those meds were manufactured by the now-defunct OCP, though."

"Yeah, who would've guess that the very same company that once planned on taking the city private & engineered a police strike of the very cops they ran would devise such live-saving medication?", Minnie-May says, stripping down to her panties & tank-top t-shirt. "I guess OCP was good for _something_, anyway - aside from RoboCop himself, that is!"

That name placed a smile on both their lips. Since their collaboration with the cyborg cop last month, Rally & Minnie-May cherished the memory despite the danger involved of hunting down a psychotic razor blade-wielding bitch & facing giant murdering robots brought back to life by a man bent on world domination. Although it nearly cost them their lives, Rally & Minnie-May would jump at the chance to work with RoboCop, aka Officer Alex J. Murphy, a second time without the slightest hesitation.

"Amen, girlfriend!", Rally says happily, now wearing only her shorts & t-shirt. Both she & her partner lay atop their beds as Rally goes on. "Hope he & Marie are doing well since we last saw them. Oddly enough, that also goes for Donald Johnson."

"Same here, Rally", Minnie-May said. "Johnson turned out to be a real creep at first, but in the end, he helped us take down Paxton Silverman & his band of ED-209s."

"Plus, he saved Marie's life in the process. Now he's the new president of the company once ruled by the guy who first employed him - and tried to _kill _him afterwards. This world can be downright poetic sometimes."

"Mm-hm. Speaking of OCP, Rally…"

"Yeah?", Rally turns her head to her.

"Did you hear about what happened to the former Chairman & CEO of OCP last night on Belle Isle in Detroit?", Minnie-May asked.

"Yeah, I've heard a snippet or two about it from Roy's people, May. I felt bad about the officers who were killed there, but as for the Chairman & CEO, _I'm _not gonna be crying or losing any _sleep _over it! Those two were pig-headed, egotistical, & downright stubborn! I'm surprised no one tried a stunt to get rid of them earlier, _before _OCP came crashing down! But still, good riddance to bad rubbish, I say!"

"Me too! Probably the reason they _were_ all those things you say was because they didn't get enough of the good stuff at home!"

Rally grinned big at that.

"Yeah, May! If only those two had gotten _laid _every now & then, they wouldn't have acted like they had a _bug_ or a metal _rod _jammed up their own asses! Perhaps _you _might've helped them in _that _department!"

"Well, for a _fee_, of course - a really _big _fee!"

Rally & Minnie-May giggle loudly at that last remark before going to sleep about five minutes or so later.

From right outside of Rally & Minnie-May's complex, a black SUV with tinted windows gets parked just across the street from the home of Chicago's famed Gunsmith Cats. The driver door opens, & out steps a large metal leg followed by the remainder of the frame it was attached to. Drawing an Auto-9 pistol from its right leg compartment, the metal figure proceeds forward towards the Gunsmith Cats' home, its metal footsteps clanging along the way. When it reaches the back door, it doesn't bother being subtle in its approach & opens it hard with one push of a large white metal hand.

The sound of the door being forced violently opened awoke Rally & Minnie-May, & they rise quickly but silently from their slumber as they hear heavy footsteps from downstairs.

"Is that what I _think _it is, Rally?", Minnie-May whispered.

"A prowler!", Rally whispered back, picking up her CZ-75 handgun from her side while Minnie-May grabbed a pair of grenades, one in each hand. Smiling wickedly, they both nodded & quietly exited their room & headed downstairs just as stealthily. With no shoes or even socks on their feet, both ladies made their way down the steps with hardly a noise. Minnie-May was on lead as Rally took the rear, weapons ready.

_And some people wonder why we call ourselves 'Gunsmith _Cats_'!_, thought Minnie-May as the intruder made crashing noises below.

_As far as I can tell, it's only one individual, but whoever the hell this is, he's not even _trying _to be quiet! It's almost like he _wants _to be caught!_, Rally thought, her smile growing. _Fine by us, fella! You're going down all the same!_

Reaching the bottom, Minnie-May turns to Rally, who nods. May does the same, & with grace, tosses her first grenade into the room where they know the prowler was. A second or two later, a mild but powerful explosion erupts & fills the room with smoke. Almost immediately after, Rally steps out from behind her partner into the frame & aims her weapon directly inside.

"Ha! _Nice_ try, dirtbag, but I'm afraid you've picked the _wrong house _to…", Rally started saying before trailing off, hesitating to pull the trigger.

"What? What _is _it, Rally?", Minnie-May asked, wondering why her partner was hesitant in shooting her pistol. Taking a peek inside, Minnie-May strain to see through the smoke made by her grenade. As the cloud gets less intense, they can see a darkened silhouette of a figure who stood over seven feet tall & massive in built. When this silhouette became more clearer, Rally & Minnie-May's eyes go wide as it was one they were both familiar with.

And _this _intruder was no man.

Not one of flesh & blood, anyway, but of shiny _metal!_

_It _can't _be!_, they both thought with disbelief. Their stasis of shock made them almost miss an Auto-9 being aimed in their direction.

Almost.

Diving to one side, Rally runs into Minnie-May & gets them both out of a volley of bullets which penetrate through the edge & misses the back of Rally's head by only a fraction of an inch. So close were the bullets that Rally felt the rounds through her hair, causing it to sway. Were she a split-second slower, her brains would've splattered all across the room.

"Rally, why is…", Minnie-May started to say.

"Just _run_, May!", Rally said with fear in her voice & on her face as she helps her partner up in a rush & race upstairs. The metal intruder rushes after them & turns to see the girls at the top of the steps. Out of pure instinct & adrenaline, Rally stops & fires off several rounds from her gun at the metal man when he gets into view. But like the Old Man the other night, she had no more success in taking him down with a mere handgun than him, & she gives up to rejoin her partner. Raising his Auto-9, he fires another barrage of rounds that whiz past her head as she turns the corner & disappears from sight. The only thing he managed to hit was more of the house itself instead of his intended targets, shattering wood & sheet rock. He starts ascending the steps, his heavy feet making loud cricks as a door from upstairs slams shut. When he reaches the top, he gives them the bottom line.

"Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins, there is no escape for either of you!", he says, his voice as cold as his body. "The longer you try to elude me, the worse your deaths will become! But if you show yourselves now, I promise to make it painless for you both!"

_No thanks, Murph!_, Minnie-May said to herself, as she & Rally listen for his footsteps that walk down the top floor. He only gets a few steps before Minnie-May presses a button on a remote. From where the metal intruder stood, an explosion erupted beneath his person, throwing him off & to one side where he crashes into the railing & down to the floor, hitting it with a hard thud & making a hole. From above, Rally & Minnie-May rush out of their hiding place as the former was now armed with a Mossberg M500 ATP Shotgun & begins firing buckshot after powerful buckshot into the metal body of their inhuman & unwelcome guest, making decent enough dents in his metallic hide. She orders Minnie-May to jump carefully down the gap May's bomb made. She does so without too much difficulty as Rally joins her shortly after emptying her weapon & tossing it away. Ignoring the debris digging into their bare feet, the girls race away as the metal man struggles to get back up on his feet, his systems reading some damage & his vision slightly fuzzy & sparking.

**System damage: 20%**

**Self-repairs activated.**

**Stability held at 80%**

**Unit still able to continue pursuit.**

Albeit a bit sluggish, the metal intruder was able to get up & resume his pursuit of the two Gunsmith Cats, going in the same direction he last saw them heading, his gun raised. After five seconds, his audio picks up a sound of twin vehicle doors closing followed by an engine starting up. Rushing to intercept, the metal intruder reaches the front door & knocks it off its hinges with a single push just as a garage door begins to open up. Before long, a sky blue Chevrolet Spark Hatchback zooms out of the garage & turns right as tires burn rubber, speeding away.

But while the metal intruder couldn't catch up with it on foot, it still didn't mean he can't catch them another way: getting into the street, he uses his targeting systems to aim his gun at the Chevrolet's gas tank. Blazing away, the hot rounds strike the tank on target & the blue vehicle explodes in a plume of fire & smoke that reaches for the heavens, leaving it in a fiery ruin.

The job done, the metal intruder heads back to his own vehicle & enters, making a report once he closes the driver's side door.

"Crime Prevention Unit Zero to Base. Over", he begins.

In a voice only he can hear in his head, a female voice starts to speak.

"_This is Base. Go ahead, Crime Prevention Unit Zero. Progress report?_"

"Targets of Gunsmith Cats Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins successfully terminated. Have sustained minor damage. Returning now to base for repairs. Over."

"_Excellent, Zero. Return home & we'll patch you up good as new in no time. Base out._"

The back SUV was in motion even as the last message was being announced. It races off just as police sirens were being heard in the background. Hearing the SUV drive off in a hurry, Rally & Minnie-May emerge from their hiding place in their garage, the latter holding what looks like a module with a mini steering wheel & buttons on it.

"That was _too close_, Minnie-May!", Rally said. "Good thing he didn't stay around to check for any bodies in that vehicle, or he'd discover none & come back to finish us off - permanently!"

"You got _that _right, Rally!", Minnie-May agreed. "_Another _good thing is that we installed the Chevrolet's steering mechanisms to be controlled by this remote! Along with our 'dummies' driving instead of us, we'd make it look like we're making a fast getaway to throw off would-be assailants! _I _just _never _thought we'd be doing so with _him_ of all people, Rally!"

"Neither can I, Minnie-May!", Rally said. "I _still _can believe that the one who tried to _kill_ us just now is…"

_Chicago Police Headquarters, 11:55 p.m.:_

About five to ten minutes after the attack at Rally & Minnie-May's house, police & even an ambulance arrived to survey the scene. It gave the girls enough time to head back in the house & get properly dressed, not wanting to be arrested for indecent exposure. When the cops asked what occurred, the two Gunsmith Cats told them it was best for the whole department to hear, up to & including Roy Coleman. Agreeing, they drove the ladies up to Police Headquarters where Roy, redhead cop Kate & everyone else on duty were told by Rally & Minnie-May the details of the incident.

Their reaction was the same as the Gunsmith's own.

"_RoboCop?!_", they all said, stunned with facial expressions to match.

"Rally, Minnie-May, are you both _sure _it _was _him?!", Roy asked.

"We're _positive_, Roy!", Minnie-May stated firmly. "You don't mistake that metal body of his with anyone else!"

"May's right!", Rally said. "It's been a month since we last saw him, but you _don't _forget what he looks like once you lay eyes on him, Roy! Even though we always set up traps in the house, they nearly _didn't _help us get away with our skins intact!"

Roy leaned back in his chair, trying to make sense of it all. He may not have been in the climactic battle against Paxton Silverman & his ED-209s due to suffering an arm & head injury when two ED units blew up the police safe house at Riverside that left two officers dead, but he still grew to admire the officer just the same, cyborg or not. To hear that he just tried to kill his two good friends was incomprehensible.

"I just can't believe _any _of this!", Roy said, more to himself.

"Neither can _I!_", Kate said, staring at the girls. "Rally, Minnie-May, you two _teamed up _with RoboCop to stop a mad plot for world domination last month here in Chicago! Why would he even _think _of returning now from Detroit, let alone to come & _kill _you, of all things?"

"That's what _we _want to know ourselves, Kate!", Minnie-May said, clearly hurt & angry. "And there's only _one _way to get to the bottom of this!"

"And _that _is to take a trip over to…",

"_Rally! Minnie-May!_"

Rally gets cut off when a lone female calls their names & all eyes turn in her direction. She was just about Rally's height, wearing a green dress, skirt & shoes. Thin-rimmed glasses were in place of her blue eyes, & her hair was long & brown, with a red bandana on top. She is the chief (if not pricy) informant to Rally & Minnie-May known as Becky Farrah, sometimes known as 'Becky the Nose'.

"Becky?", Rally & Minnie-May say as their friend gives them both a reassuring hug.

"I heard about what happened before!", Becky said, pulling away. "Are you two all right?"

"Aside from being shot at & nearly blown away by RoboCop, you mean?", Minnie-May said.

"_What _did you say?", Becky asked, not believing a word.

"You heard her, Becky!", Rally added. "Our so-called 'partner in crime-fighting' almost did us _in _a while ago! _We _need to know _why!_"

"How are you going to _do _that, Rally?"

"Like I was going to say before, the best way is to take a trip over to Detroit & talk to the metal man _personally!_ Minnie-May & I are heading there _first_ thing in the morning!"

"Just a moment, Rally…", Roy started to say.

"Don't you even _think _of trying to stop us, Roy!", Minnie-May said, interrupting him. "It wasn't _you _RoboCop was blasting away at tonight!"

"_Whoa _there, Minnie-May!", Roy said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "I never _said _I would try & stop you or Rally from going over to the Motor City! All I'm saying is that, if you two _are _heading over to where Motown was born, don't forget to take the most important things with you!"

"And what's _that?_", Rally asked.

"Us!", Roy & Becky said in unison, smiling & placing their hands to their chests.

The two Gunsmith Cats stare at each other for a moment before smiling & nodding their approval.

"All right, you two! You're in!", Rally said. "Pack a bag & meet us back at our place at first light!"

"Wait a minute!", Kate said. "Don't tell us you two are going back _home _after your narrow escape from the Grim Reaper!"

"Don't worry, Kate!", Minnie-May assures her with a wink. "I doubt that'll be too much of a problem for us!"

"May has a point", Rally said. "RoboCop believes he killed us in our Chevrolet when he blew it up, so it's doubtful he'd return to double-check. _That _alone should give us an edge."

"All the same, Rally, I'd still like to have a few officers at your place to keep watch until we're ready to roll tomorrow", Roy insisted. "If RoboCop _does _happen to return in spite of your belief, you'd get an early warning of his approach."

Rally nodded.

"Fair enough, Roy", she says.

"Then it's settled!", Roy said, turning to Kate. "Kate, you're in charge here until we get back from Detroit!"

"Yes sir, Detective Coleman! Leave it to me!", she said, saluting. Roy, Rally & Minnie-May grin.

"All _right!_ _Road trip! Woo-hoo!_", Beck cheered, grinning & putting her hands up like she just won a race in the Olympics. When she looks back at everyone in the room, they all stare at her as if she was from another planet.

_Becky, girl, you really _are _weird!_, Minnie-May thought, shaking her head in dismay.

_This is going to be a _loooooong _trip!_, Rally thought, burying her head in one hand, clearly embarrassed.

"What?", she says, indifferent to it all with a silly smile on her face.

**CHAPTER IV**

_Detroit, Michigan, 10:00 a.m., the next morning:_

A trio of two guys & a woman made an appearance at the Bank of America on 20000 Van Dyke Street to commit a crime. No, it wasn't to rob the place in the traditional sense; this trio is wanted for the felony of passing around bad checks, a crime they'd been getting away with until now. Having commited the felony only a half-hour ago, these troublesome three had been caught red-handed passing their fraudulent checks, being recognized by the bank tellers. Activating the silent alarm, police responded almost immediately & find the trio speeding in their getaway car: a late 1990s Buick Century which they drive for all its worth.

Knowing the hard time they'll be doing in prison should they be caught, surrender was _not _an option.

Now they race down south Van Dyke & get on the Edsel Ford Parkway, heading west.

In a lone TurboCruiser with its sirens blaring, Robocop takes the wheel as Sergeant Reed sits in the passenger seat, his hand only inches away from his gun. In the Buick, the first man, with a near-bald head & wearing tan jeans & blue t-shirt, drives the car while the other man & woman - quite possibly a husband & wife team - slap a magazine in their guns they kept in their getaway vehicle. The man, dressed in black pants & yellow t-shirt, held a pistol-grip 12-Gauge shotgun while the woman, dressed in gray sweats, white t-shirt & light pink jacket with short black hair, handled a Heckler & Kosh MP5SD6 Submachine Gun. Hefting their guns, they ready themselves for the worst yet to come.

"Where are we now, Stu?", the woman asks the driver.

"We're now coming up to the Chrysler Freeway, ma'am!", said Stu. "Shall we stay where we are or get on it?"

"Get on it! If we can't outrun the cops, we'll _shoot _our way out!" She turns to the man with the shotgun with a smile. "You ready, Guthrie baby?"

"For _you_, Marla, I'm _always _ready!", Guthrie says, smiling back.

"You two just be _careful_, okay?", Stu said, making the turn off the Edsel Ford Parkway. "Especially if it's who I _think _it is chasing our tail!"

"Don't worry, Stu!", Guthrie assures him. "Even if it _is _the robot, he ain't gonna get in _our _way! Just drive where & when we tell you to & we'll be all right - we promise!"

"Besides, have we ever steered you wrong before, Stu?", asked Marla.

"No ma'am - not once!", Stu said, his confidence rebuilt. "Let's go for broke!"

"_That's _the spirit!", Guthrie said as he & Marla swivel in their seats.

Several yards behind their Buick, the police cruiser makes the same turn onto the Chrysler Freeway as Sergeant Reed gets on the radio.

"Dispatch, this is Reed! We are still 10-80 with that Buick, which has now come on the Chrysler Freeway heading north & passing Piquette Street, heading in excess of 100 miles per hour! Any units in or near the vicinity…"

Reed's message was abruptly cut off when he was forced to dodge a volley of rounds from Marla's H&K Submachine Gun & Guthrie's shotgun, ducking down behind the dashboard just as hot rounds pass through & miss his head by an inch. Through it all, RoboCop was indifferent & stayed where he is, never jerking the wheel once as stray rounds bounce harmlessly off his metal hide.

"Are you okay, Sergeant Reed?", Robo asked.

"I'm good, Murphy, but _that _shit was _too close _for _my _tastes!", Reed fumed, getting back on the radio. "To all units, suspects have fired back on us! Shots fired! I repeat, shots fired!"

"_Dispatch copy, shots fired! Additional units are en route!_", the radio says.

"10-4! Tell them to step it up!", Reed concluded, getting off the radio before pressing the shotgun release in the front seat & grabbing the weapon.

"Looks like they're playing for _keeps_, Murphy! I'd say it's time for us to take off the damn _gloves!_", Reed said, preparing his shotgun.

"Yes, Sergeant! Let us show these creeps that _we _can play rough as well!", RoboCop said, drawing his Auto-9 from his right leg while driving. Aiming his weapon as Reed does the same with his, both officers fire at the escaping Buick, their shots taking out the back window as shards of broken glass shower the back & all three occupants barely take cover.

"Mother_fuckers!_", Guthrie spat. "That's it - we're _through _playing nice! Like you said before, Stu…it's all or nothing!"

In the police cruiser, RoboCop uses his voice like a megaphone.

"_Attention, you in the Buick! You are all under arrest! Pull your vehicle over & surrender now, or there will be…trouble!_"

"Go get a fucking _grease job_, robot!", Guthrie shouted, firing his shotgun.

"Yeah, we'll take door number _two_, Monty!", Marla shouted, shooting her H&K machine gun.

"Hey Murphy, have you ever wondered how that trick _never works?!_", Reed shouted over the gunfire & taking cover.

"I see the ineffectiveness of it, Sergeant", Robo said, re-aiming his gun & booming his voice again. "_Wrong decision on _your _part, creeps! Trouble it is!_"

His warning given, Robocop & Sergeant Reed open fire from their guns as both Guthrie & Marla retaliate in kind. Back & forth, a bullet barrage was striking both vehicles, shattering glass & leaving holes in frames as they get turned into rolling swiss cheese with Reed, Guthrie, Marla & even Stu ducking to avoid taking a stray bullet. The shootout gets more & more intense with every bullet that zips by. Reed & Murphy know that the longer this goes on, the more innocent motorists are going to become a casualty, pushing aside the fact that not too many are on the freeway this morning.

But as fate would have it, the suspects in the Buick have precisely that in mind when Stu announces an 18-wheeler over on their right just as all the shooting stops.

A big grin flashes on Guthrie & Marla's faces.

"Stu! Get in front of that big rig! We've just got an idea!", Marla said. Nodding, Stu puts his foot on the gas pedal & gets ahead of the 18-wheeler, putting a distance of ten feet between them.

"What the _hell _are they doing?", Reed wondered, watching from their cruiser. Before either officer can do or say anything, Marla & Guthrie aim their guns at the driver of the big rig & fire hot lead. The driver of the 18-wheeler had even less time to react, & hot lead burst on through his windshield & strikes him in a bloodied heap. His body acting like a weight, the driver falls dead over to the left with his hand turning the steering wheel & taking the truck in that same direction.

"Those _sonsabitches! _Did they just…?", Reed was about to say, clearly disgusted.

"Yes they did! Hold tight, Sergeant!", RoboCop said, placing his metal foot on the gas pedal & swerving the cruiser over to the left. Putting on more speed, Murphy gets the car past the now out-of-control big rig just before it crashes into the concrete divider, the sudden stop causing it to jackknife & topple onto its side as oncoming cars screech on their brakes to avoid crashing into the downed 18-wheeler.

Unfortunately, some cars do, & one even ends up killing its driver upon impact.

As Reed radios for a rescue crew, the escaping suspects can't believe what happened.

"_Shit!_", Guthrie spat. "Even after all that, they _still _get through! That fucking robot's a lot harder to shake than ticks off a damn _dog!_"

"So _now _what do we do?", Stu asked desperately. "Shooting at & trying to flee him isn't working, & this car seems to be on its last legs! If we don't get a new ride soon…"

"All right, point taken! Get us off here & up the embankment!", Guthrie says as they pass underneath the Warren Avenue East bridge. Stu presses his foot on the gas as they travel on the grass for all it's worth, praying they don't get stuck.

Amazingly, they _don't_: getting enough traction, their battered Buick somehow makes it through the grassy embankment & onto Chrysler Drive & across the street right into the Detroit Department of Transportation, crashing into the gate & dragging it under its wheels for sixty feet before it tears free as people scramble to get out of the way.

"Dammit! The axle's been _shot!_ _This_ piece of shit's _had_ it!", Stu announced.

"No worries, Stu! We're at a perfect place to go jack us a _new _set of wheels!", Guthrie said as he reloads his shotgun with fresh shells as Marla puts in a new magazine for her H&K. Right behind them was RoboCop as he, also, made it up the embankment & into the car lot, being only forty feet from the felons. Announcing they were ready, Guthrie & Marla leap out of the totaled Buick once Stu brings it to a crawl & joins them right afterwards. Raising their weapons, Marla & Guthrie open fire on Robocop & Sergeant Reed, the latter of whom dives for immediate cover while the cyborg cop raises his Auto-9 & takes aim at both the 12-Gauge & Heckler & Kosh firearms. Unleashing a quick barrage of rounds, they strike both weapons at almost the same exact time, the force of the hits causing the deadly duo to drop them instantly. Taking a look at their guns, they see that they've been shot right next to the triggers & rendered useless.

A well-placed bullet near their feet by Reed's sidearm convinces them to stay still.

"Don't any of you assholes even _think _of moving!", Reed barked, his service revolver aimed at all three with Murphy training his gun on them for backup as multiple sirens sound in the distance by several patrol cars all headed in their direction.

"You three are under arrest!", RoboCop says. "Lay down on the ground on your stomachs! Do it now!"

Raising their hands, Guthrie & Stu comply with the cyborg cop's orders. Only Marla was left standing as Reed came closer to her, his gun pointed at her face.

"You better _get_ your cute little ass on the ground like your friends, lady!", Reed barked. "You've already got _several_ charges against you! You want to add 'resisting arrest' to your list of offenses?! _Get _the _fuck _on the _ground!_"

"_Make _me!", Marla spat with contempt.

Gritting his teeth, Reed pulls out the handcuffs from behind his back & grabs Marla's wrist when, almost like lightning, she slaps his gun away & grabs a Sig Sauer P228 Caliber Handgun from behind her, hidden by her jacket. She places it under Reed's chin & spins him around to face RoboCop, who keeps his gun trained on her but refused to shoot. At that time, their backup arrives as officers get out of their cars & draw their guns all aimed at Marla. RoboCop had to diffuse the situation before one trigger-happy cop gets a shot off & their Sarge killed.

"Officers! Hang them up!", he ordered. Slowly but surely, the cops do what was told of them.

"Very good, robot!", Marla says, now placing the gun behind Reed's head & cocking the hammer back as Stu & Guthrie get back up. "All right, now we play hardball! Here's the deal: all of you allow us to get into a new vehicle & drive off with this cop as our insurance, & maybe we _don't _splatter his brains all over the pavement!"

"No! We _won't _allow that to happen!", RoboCop said sternly.

"Like you even _have _a say in this, tin man! Now _listen _up: _anyone_ who tries to impede our progress, he dies! You try to _follow_ us, he dies! If _either_ of my associates gets hit with a bullet, he dies! Are we _clear _on that?!"

Not one officer answered.

"I _asked _you all a fucking _question!_ Are…we…_clear?!_"

"If any of you has a clear shot, _take it!_", Reed called out. Marla gives Reed a slight but hard nudge from behind his head.

"You say _one more word_, nigger, & we'll proudly add 'murder of a police officer' to our 'list of offenses'!" Marla faces her husband. "Guthrie, get this cop's gun! We're _blowing _this fucking popsicle stand!"

Nodding, Guthrie walks over & bends down to pick up Reed's gun which Marla knocked out of her hand. Before he even touches it, a shot rings out & hits Stu in the upper part of his arm, causing him to cry out & fall to the ground. Immediately after, Guthrie gets hit in the ankle by a well-placed shot & he, too, falls to the ground, clutching his ankle.

"Stu?! Guthrie?!", Marla cried out as a new voice - young & female - speaks out.

"You _know_, sweetheart, if _I _was a hostage-taker, I would much prefer to have an innocent _civilian_ as my hostage, rather than a hardened _police officer!_"

Everyone turns towards the newcomer to find a young Indian-American female with long jet black hair, dressed in light blue shorts, white sneakers, yellow t-shirt & a holster to hold her CZ-75 handgun which is now in her hand, smoking from the shots she fired from it. And she wasn't alone either: with her was a slightly younger & smaller female with short blonde hair, wearing a green outfit & white sneakers. The tallest of the three - a male - was wearing a pair of black slacks, white short-sleeve dress shirt & red tie. His hair was short & black, with a goatee on his face that circled his mouth. He held a gun in his right hand & what appeared to be an officer's badge in the other. As one, the trio of newcomers step out from behind one of the buildings.

_Rally? Minnie-May? Detective Coleman?_, RoboCop thought, wondering as to why they've arrived in _his _neck of the woods.

"Now, little missy, you want to let the officer go & give up?", Coleman asks. "Or do _you _also want to take a bullet like your _friends _there on the ground?"

"Mister, I don't know _who _the fuck you & your friends are, but you all _just _cost this nigger his life!", Marla snapped, pulling the trigger of her Sig Sauer.

_CLICK!_

No bullet was fired.

"What the _fuck_…?!", Marla spat, looking at her gun. What she saw made her eyes go wide in surprise. She then stares at Rally.

"That's right, hon…I shot off the hammer that first time!", Rally explains. "Without it, your gun's as deadly as any child's water pistol!"

"Why you filthy _little_…_oomph!_", Marla's little tirade got cut short as Reed spun around as fast as she took him hostage & landed a powerful right fist into her face that sends her crashing to the ground, on her back & unconscious.

"_Bitch! _Call _me _a nigger?! _Twice?!_", Reed spat, standing over her inert form. The officers rush up & take all three suspects - two sustaining gunshot wounds, the other knocked out cold - into custody. Reed turns to his mysterious saviors & walks up to them.

"Thanks for the save. You cops?", he asked.

"_I _am, anyway", Roy said, placing his badge in Reed's sight. "Detective Roy Coleman, Chicago P.D." He puts his badge & gun away & introduces his cohorts. "This here is Miss Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins, bounty hunters."

"Don't forget about _me_, Roy!", Becky says, rushing up to the group.

"Of course not! And this here's Becky Farrah, their chief informant & good friend!"

"Hey there!", Becky says with a smile & a friendly wave of her hand.

"Charmed, Miss Farrah, I'm sure!", Reed says with a smile of his own. He turns to the two Gunsmith Cats. "So _you two _are the ever-famous 'Gunsmith Cats' from the Windy City! Murphy & Dr. Marie Lazarus have told me a lot about you! Great save before, by the way! You _are _as good as I'd been told!"

"Hey, all in a day's work, really", Rally says innocently.

"I suppose so. But anyway, what brings _you _folks over here to the Motor City?"

No one noticed RoboCop's presence until he began to speak.

"Rally, Minnie-May, Detective Coleman…it is good to see you three again", he says. The two Gunsmiths, Roy & even Becky turn to the cyborg cop with a not-too-pleasant look on any of their faces. Murphy & even Sergeant Reed was taken aback by it.

"Yeah well, we can only wish the feeling was _mutual_, fella!", Roy said, crossing his arms. Rally, Minnie-May & Becky do the same. RoboCop didn't need his sensors/systems to know something was amiss, judging by the fact that they were staring hard daggers at him.

"Is there something…wrong?", he wondered.

"Yeah, like _you _don't _know?!_", Minnie-May growled.

"We've got a metallic _bone _to pick with you…Murphy!", Rally stated firmly, pointing an accusing finger at his metal chest.

"They're right, tin man!", Becky adds. "You've got yourself some _explaining _to do!"

"What _kind _of explaining, Miss Farrah? I don't understand", RoboCop says.

"Listen folks, why don't we all head on down to Metro West & you can tell us all about it there?", Reed says, intervening to defuse the tension that was forming. "We need to get these creeps booked & locked up anyhow. Okay?"

"We'll follow you in my minivan!", Roy said, never taking his eyes off RoboCop while he spoke. In moments, they started back to it, leaving the cyborg cop & Reed in wonder.

"What the hell was _that _all about, Murph?", Reed asks.

"I haven't a clue, Sergeant Reed", Robo says in all honesty. "But something tells me it bears investigating."

Without another word, they head back to their vehicles, suspects in tow.

_Detroit Police Department, Metro West, 10:30 a.m.:_

Like always, the precinct house was bustling with activity: incoming & outgoing calls, cops racing back & forth heading out to the streets & hauling suspects away, handling irritable (but necessary) paperwork, & so on. Sergeant Reed, Robocop & a few other officers were placing Marla & her two accomplices away in a cell while Rally, Minnie-May, Becky & Roy sit & wait on a wooden bench for their inevitable return. Watching the activity unfold within Metro West's walls, they find it no different from what transpires at the police station back home in Chicago, all forms of movement & verbal response at a familiar level.

Then again, if one sees _one _police station, they've practically seen them _all_.

Throughout the avalanche of officers & other personell, they find mostly unfamiliar faces in a town so…alien to them. While Detroit was similar to Chicago in many aspects, it was also very different: crime was almost a constant form of every-day life, & yet people still manage to get through the day without too much of a hassle. If they compare the crime rate of Detroit to that of Chicago, it'd be hard to tell whose is higher.

In all the midst of new faces, they happen to find one who'd be familiar no matter where they were: she was a woman close to Roy's height, dressed in a brown skirt with a white lab coat worn over it. Her hair was long & brown, & had a pair of thin-rimmed glasses like what Becky herself wore, but smaller.

When she saw Rally & her group, she smiled brightly & walked up to them.

"Oh my _god! _Rally! Minnie-May! Detective Coleman!", she says, eyeing the new face. "And who's your friend?"

"Dr. Marie Lazarus, this is Becky Farrah", Minnie-May says. "She's our top informer back home."

"A computer geek, huh? I _like _that! You remind me of myself, Miss Farrah!", Marie says joyfully.

"Thanks, Dr. Lazarus", Becky said with less enthusiam than usual. Marie felt something was wrong with the way they all responded, not being as happy as she thought they'd be to see an old friend again.

"Hey guys, what's the matter?", she asks. "I thought you'd be a lot chipper than this to come all this way to see old friends again. Why so glum?"

"Dr. Lazarus, we can only wish that a friendly visit _was _the reason for our coming here to your neck of the woods", Roy said as he & the three girls now stand. "I'm afraid we're here on a bit of business, _and _I'm afraid it's not very _good _business either."

"How do you mean, Detective Coleman?"

"These four do not seem very happy with me right now, Dr. Lazarus", said RoboCop as he & Sergeant Reed enter the main room of the precinct. "I would like to know why."

"Yes, I too think it's time we got right down to business on that!", Roy said. "_And _we can do it here, because this is something _everyone _in here should know about!"

"Fair enough, Detective Coleman. What business might that be?"

"For starters…", Roy began before Rally cut him off.

"Just _where _do you get off on visiting your friends to try & _kill _them?!", she snapped & points an accusing finger at him. "_Huh?!_"

Murmurs of confusion & shock fill the room upon hearing Rally's accusation of Murphy. Even Sergeant Reed & Dr. Marie Lazarus join in. That also goes for RoboCop himself, feeling a but stung.

Reed quieted & got the situation under control again before speaking.

"Whoa, maybe this _is _something we need to discuss in private!", he says. "Listen, why don't the seven of us head on over to another room, & we'll get to the bottom of this? Please."

"For _me_, at least?", Marie pleaded.

The four Chicago-ites wanted nothing more than to refuse & continue their argument right where they were at. But since Marie Lazarus was - and _is _- still a good friend to them & probably have nothing to do with RoboCop's dire predicament, they consider it.

"All right, Marie. We'll do it for you", Minnie-May says, speaking on their behalf.

"This way, then", RoboCop says, walking off for the others to follow.

"All right, folks. We'll take care of this. You all get back to work", Reed says as he, Marie, Roy, Becky & both Gunsmith Cats take off after Murphy.

After a few moments, the other officers resume their daily chores.

_Deeper inside the Metro West Precinct:_

RoboCop led his six band of followers over to the holding cell where he was 'kept' for repairs & get his own downtime when he wasn't going arresting felons or putting them into the earth with his Auto-9. It was empty, sans a few other technicians, who were doing maintenance work on the monitors & RoboCop's chair. Two of them were Linda Garcia & Tak Akita, the latter tech being Japanese-American. They were on hand during the police strike & helped to get RoboCop back online after his being stripped to pieces by Cain & psychotic group. Seeing their fellow technician along with the cyborg cop always makes them happy, but they can tell that something was going down, judging by the look on Marie's face, not to mention that of Reed & their visitors from Chicago.

"Hey folks, can we have this place to ourselves for a while? We shouldn't be too long", Marie asks. The techs stare at each other before Tak makes their decision.

"Sure, Dr. Lazarus. Take as long as you & your guests need", he says, leading the others out of the room. When the last of them was gone, they got right down to it now that there'd be no further interruptions.

"Now then, Rally Vincent…just what _did_ you mean when you said I go off killing my friends?", RoboCop asked.

"That's _exactly _what I meant, tin man!", Rally fumed at him. "Minnie-May & I _saw you _at our _home _the other night, trying to _waste _us! And you damn well near _succeeded _too!"

"Yeah, & let's _not _forget the former Chairman & CEO of OCP who were being held under house arrest over at Belle Isle!", Becky adds. "They may have been bonafide _dicks_, granted, but come _on_…even _they _didn't deserve what you did to them! Did you really hate them _that _much to turn the CEO's head 180 degrees & shot the Old Man in the chest with a shotgun before you bent it?!"

"And what about all those police officers _killed _with them?!", Minnie-May steps in. "In order for _anyone _to get through a grove of heavily-armed escorts like that, they'd have to be made like a goddamned _tank! _Guess who fits _that _particular bill! Dammit, Rally & I thought you _were_ our friend, for Christ's sake!"

A small tear starts to run down Minnie-May's cheek. Marie offers her a tissue & takes it, wiping it away. Rally & even Roy feel betrayed as Minnie-May does, but were better at hiding it than she is.

"Okay, _now _Marie & I _know _there's something wrong with all this!", Reed said. "Listen folks, there's several things that clearly don't fit in with what you're all claiming."

"They aren't _claims_, Sergeant! They're hard _facts!_", Roy said more forcefully than he had intended.

"To _you_, perhaps", Reed said calmly. "But let me explain: first off, like we told the media itself when _they_ heard upon it, the incident over on Belle Isle two nights ago happened at around 11:30. When _that _was taking place, Murphy here & I were trying to save hostages over at the Community Resource Centers of America on Meyers. Therefore, Murphy was _not _responsible for killing the Old Man & CEO of OCP, let alone the officers guarding them. As for your incident just the other night in Chicago, tell us…at what time _did_ it happen?"

Reed, Robocop & Marie wait patiently for Rally & Minnie-May to answer. They seemed a little reluctant, & it wasn't because they didn't want to. They were beginning to think that maybe the cyborg cop was innocent of it all. Roy Coleman & Becky Farrah were beginning to feel the same way.

"At around that same time, 11:30", Rally said, her tone gone tons softer than before.

"Then _that _clinches it", Marie says passionately, facing the two Gunsmiths. "Listen Rally, Minnie-May, last night at that same time, Murphy was right here in this very room getting a much-needed repair after being shot at by a group of creeps. You see that metal foot over there?"

Marie points to a part of leg that RoboCop would be having on. It was scorched at where the knee was, some of the metal blackened as if burned off.

"Ouch! That looked like it'd been through Hell, Marie!", Minnie-May said.

"You can easily say it has, Minnie-May", Marie went on. "After those felons injected him with a virus of some kind, they took a bazooka & shot off his left leg from the knee down. They would've succeeded in doing so to the _rest _of him were it not for Reed's timely intervention. My staff was up all night last night fixing him up, eradicating the virus from his systems & getting him patched up with his new leg for duty this morning. So you see, it would have been all but _impossible _for Murphy to have been in Chicago, much less attempt murder on both of you. Plus, my staff can vouch for everything I've just said."

A heavy pang of guilt came crashing down upon Rally & Minnie-May, making them a bit weak in the legs. Marie Lazarus has been one of the most trustworthy people they've ever known, ranking right up there with Roy & Becky themselves. That also went for Murphy, having helped him take down Paxton Silverman's world conquest scheme. It was even Murphy himself that had insisted on partnering up with them to track down killer-for-hire Siobhan 'Razorblade' Dallin on his arrival in the Windy City last month. During that time, they developed a strong partnership with the cyborg cop, but more so, a strong _kinship _with him. The thought of believing that he'd go & try to murder them for any reason made them feel like they'd been shackled while holding a great weight on their shouders.

"Minnie-May…", Rally started to say, facing her partner, her tone losing all bravado.

"Rally, I…I think we just made a _big _mistake", Minnie-May sobbed, her tears coming out harder with a lump forming in her throat. Finally, she could hold it in no more, & she runs up to Robocop & buries her head into him, letting it out.

"We're _so _sorry, Murphy!", Minnie-May sobbed. "We're so, so sorry! _Please _forgive us!"

RoboCop's response was immediate: he places a hand softly upon her back & allows her to weep.

"You're forgiven, Minnie-May Hopkins. All of you are forgiven", he says in a soft tone for a cyborg.

"I guess there really _is _a man inside of the machine, Dr. Lazarus", Roy said.

"Yes, Detective Coleman", Marie said. "OCP didn't eradicate him completely."

"It's evident that they didn't. The will of the human spirit is an extraordinary thing. Where its true fighting strength comes from remains a mystery."

"Some things, Detective Coleman, are better off _staying _that way", Marie says, getting a pair of Cokes from a drink dispenser.

Becky Farrah listens in on their little conversation with curiosity: she's only heard about RoboCop from reports on the news & internet. Rally & Minnie-May knew him best, having been fighting alongside him only a month ago back home. But what _really _wondered Becky was what Marie & Roy said.

_A man inside of the machine?_, Becky thought. _Does that mean RoboCop was human once? If so, is that even _possible_? RoboCop's an actual combo of flesh & bionics? Unbelievable! But from what I've heard, then just maybe…_

"Here you go, girls. I think you can _both _use a drink", Marie said, handing the Cokes to Rally & Minnie-May, who graciously accept. Taking out another tissue, Marie wipes away May's tears. "There you go, Minnie-May. You're _much _too adorable for tears."

"Thanks, Marie", Minnie-May says, smiling & taking another sip of her drink.

"I suppose Becky & I owe you & Marie our apologies too, Sergeant Reed", Roy said. "We each should've known better than to make a snap judgement like we did, especially with him."

"It's okay, Detective", Reed said. "It isn't the _first _time Murphy's been framed for a felony he had no part of in committing, believe me."

"You're right. I remember when Urban Pacification leader Paul McDaggett shot & killed his partner Anne Lewis in cold blood, then had the _gall _to go & say that she was gunned down by _him_…and on the six o'clock news, no less!"

"Fortunately, no one herebelieved _that_ jargon even for an instant. Thankfully, in the end, Anne Lewis got the justice she deserved & that bastard McDaggett got sent to meet his maker."

Roy nodded at that, saying 'Amen' in that way.

"We'll never doubt you again, Murphy", Minnie-May says as Marie wipes away the last of her tears. "It _was _foolish of us to misjudge you like we did."

"I'll say", Rally adds. "Next time, we'll be sure to look before we leap, especially if it by chance concerns any friends of ours."

"It is all right, Rally, Minnie-May", RoboCop says. "This kind of thing can happen even to the best of us. Even _I've _been there."

"Thanks Murphy", Rally & Minnie-May say sincerely with a smile, & meaning it.

The hearts of the rest are relaxed, seeing things getting patched up most quickly.

"Well, I'm glad that's out of the way & all", Becky said, turning serious, "but we mustn't forget the fact that a RoboCop _did _attack you at your house the other night, Rally!"

"You're right, Becky. That _can't _be denied!", Rally said.

"Tell me, Rally, Minnie-May", RoboCop says. "This RoboCop that attacked you at your home the other night. Did either of you notice anything…unusual about it?"

The two Gunsmith Cats took several moments to get lost in thought about their cybernetic home-raider. Going over the details in their minds, they concentrate hard on getting every speck of info they can conjure up. It didn't take long to visualize the scenario, & before long, it all came back to them in a flash.

"There _was _something unusual about this Robo…_several _somethings!", answered Minnie-May. She takes hold of Murphy's hands to explain. "The hands, for one thing…where yours are black from here to near the elbows, _his _was _white!_"

"White, you say?", RoboCop asks.

"That's _right!_", added Rally. "The _head _was slightly different too! The chin guard was the same, but the _top _part was white like the hands, & the visor was _also _different! Instead of the slit like _you _have, _his _was in the shape like that of a helicopter pilot's!"

RoboCop was making a diagram in his sights as each detail from Rally & Minnie-May was giving him.

"And what of the body itself?", he asks. "Was it like mine?"

"Now that you mentioned it, it was in just about every fashion, only the metal itself wasn't in a silver tone like yours. It was dark, but we _could _tell that _his _was more in a shade of black, or more like…", Rally was saying before she spots Reed & points to him at his chest. "More like _that _shade of _blue!_"

"You mean in the same color tone as my _uniform?_", Reed asked, placing his hands at his chest.

"That's the _one_, Sergeant Reed! _Exactly _like it!"

With all the details from the two young Gunsmiths, the group contemplate it & come up with an unnerving solution, one they couldn't believe at first.

"Rally! You don't suppose that somewhere out there is…", Minnie-May started to say as she & Rally finish her thought together. "_Another RoboCop?!_"

"As unbelievable as it may sound, you two, I still wouldn't put that notion past me!", said Marie. "Don't either one of you recall the incident with Dr. Juliette Faxx's 'RoboCop 2' project, where she placed the brain of drug lord Cain into?"

"Yeah, _I _remember that, Marie! Do you think _this _RoboCop could have a criminal brain inside it as well?"

"Either _that_, May, or maybe even, dare I say…a _cop's? _Taking the law into his own hands, becoming a murderous vigilante?", Rally asks.

"It's happened, Rally", RoboCop said evenly.

"Yes it has. I've seen _my _share of cops going bad", Roy adds.

"Well, who_ever _this impostor is, we need to _find _him, & fast!", Reed said. "He's already committed cold-blooded murder of both felons _and _fellow police officers! And anyone who'd kill _cops _like he has can't be allowed to walk the damn streets!"

"Sergeant Reed, perhaps it'd be best to call on an immediate conference & fill in everyone on what we've discovered so far about this rogue unit!", Roy says.

"Exactly what _I _was thinking myself, Detective Coleman!", Reed said.

"You may want to have Lieutenant Hedgecock at this meeting, Sergeant Reed", RoboCop said. "He & his men also need to hear the details almost as much as our own people do."

"That's a good point, Murphy", Reed says, turning to Marie. "Marie, I think you & your staff should be informed of this too. Can you have them meet us in the conference room?"

"Of course I can. Let me go get them", Marie replied as Reed nods & the female technician walks away to round up her associates. Reed turns to the Gunsmith Cats.

"Rally, Minnie-May, you two will need to be the head informants for us on this case, since you both already _encountered _that renegade unit", he says.

"We ain't got no problem with _that_, Sergeant Reed!", Minnie-May said with a scowl.

"_I'll _say we don't!", Rally said in the same way. "This raucous robot nearly _killed _us back home! Destroying it into spare parts is exactly _why _we came here to the Motor City!"

"We're all just glad you two know that it wasn't really _Murphy_ who tried to kill you", Reed said with sincerity.

"Yeah", both girls say softly.

Sergeant Reed & Detective Coleman looked at each other but said nothing.

_The Conference Room, 11:00 a.m.:_

As per Reed's orders, all officers in the Metro West Precinct were attended & took a seat, along with Marie Lazarus & her technician team which included Tak Akita & Linda Garcia. A quick phone call to Lieutenant Hedgecock, & the man was on his way with a few SWAT team members of his own. Once everyone was accounted for, Sergeant Reed was at the head of the podium, with Detective Roy Coleman, Rally Vincent, Minnie-May Hopkins & RoboCop were all at the front line. Becky Farrah stayed with Marie & her team as Rally, Minnie-May & even Roy Coleman explain the situation & gave every detail they could, from the attack at their home back in Chicago to the discussion they had just before this conference took place in Robocop's 'lair', leaving nothing out. When they were finished, Reed thanked them for their report & asked them to take their seats, which they did.

"And _that's _the whole package, people", Reed says, addressing his officers. "Somewhere out there on the streets is a renegade RoboCop unit, unlike & yet _not _unlike the rogue RoboCop 2 which went berserk over at the OCP building not too long ago. As you all have no doubt been informed, this renegade unit has already ruthlessly murdered the former Chairman & CEO of OCP & several of Lieutenant Hedgecock's SWAT team officers over at Belle Isle a few nights ago. With the aide of Gunsmith Cats Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins along with Detective Roy Coleman of the Chicago P.D., we're all to find this renegade RoboCop unit & put a stop to it by whatever means necessary. _Our _RoboCop has more. Murphy?"

"Thank you, Sergeant Reed", Murphy says, heading over to a console & extending his metal spike from his right hand, driving it into an access port. Like magic, the screens overhead came to life with photos, one in particular: that of the said RoboCop unit, dark midnight blue in color with white hands & helmet with a visor dissimilar to Murphy's own. Murmurs of stunned reaction echo the room before it becomes quiet again as Murphy makes his report.

"According to Rally & Minnie-May's description, _this _is what the renegade unit resembles, similar but still different to my own design. Printouts of this rogue robot will be made, & shall be passed out to any & all officers from both this department _and _to Lieutenant Hedgecock's SWAT team. Sergeant Reed & I have also decided upon that, unless absolutely necessary, we all keep this manhunt under wraps from the media as much as possible to avoid spreading fear or panic to the populace. Detroit is _still _suffering from the incident with Cain, & the last thing we wish on them is a relapse of it."

Murphy removes his spike from the console & withdraws it back in his hand as Reed takes over.

"So then, until further notice, no one speaks of this to anyone outside of ourselves. Are we clear on that?"

Everyone in the room nodded, including Hedgecock, Roy, Becky, Rally & Minnie-May.

"Very good", Reed went on. "On another note, to avoid arousing suspicion, Hedgecock & his men will be working with us undercover, dressed in our uniforms. Each officer will have one of his men as his/her partner as we scour the city for this rogue unit. If anyone _other_ than Murphy spots it anywhere, do not, & I repeat, _do not_ engage it on your own under _any _circumstance! Call in your position, & we'll come to you in a hot minute! Understand?"

Another bobbing of heads from one & all, including one from Reed, who was pleased.

"Good people. Manson, you & Starkweather get those printouts & start handing them out. All right, folks: let's begin our search for that rogue unit!"

With that, the officers all rise from their seats & begin dispersing from the room to carry out the assignments Reed handed them, as the technicians went back to their posts. Soon, only Reed, Hedgecock, Marie, Becky, Roy, Rally, Minnie-May & RoboCop were left in the room.

"Detective Coleman, I can count on you & your band from Chicago to also keep this under your hat, right?", Reed asked.

"Sergeant Reed, you even have to ask?", Roy says. "We're in this all the way!"

"Welcome aboard the team, Detective!", Reed said, smiling & shaking the man's hand as Roy returns the gesture.

"I guess that goes the same for _you _two!", Hedgecock says to the two young Gunsmiths.

"Oh, don't worry, Lieutenant - _we _wouldn't miss _this _for the _world!_", Rally said sharply.

"Yeah, Rally & I have as _much_ reason to find this impostor & wipe him out as any of you do, & we're _not_ going home _until_ we do!", Minnie-May fumed.

"Ladies, listen to me for a sec", Hedgecock says with a rare display of compassion. "Now, I understand the need for revenge as much as the next person. Believe me, if anyone came to _my _home & tried to kill me, I'd be pissed something serious myself, don't get me wrong. But I _also _know the importance of keeping a clear head about it. All I'm trying to say is, please don't do anything _too _rash out there. Can you do that?"

Rally & Minnie-May were about to say more on the subject, but then they recall that some of Hedgecock's men were killed by the RoboCop impostor only a few nights ago. If anyone can sympathize with their predicament, it was him, even if he & his people _did _almost bring Murphy down after Dick Jones once branded him a rogue unit himself before the truth came to light.

Taking a deep breath, Rally & Minnie-May exhale it slowly, nodding.

"No problem, Lieutenant", Rally said. "Sorry about what happened to your officers."

"Thank you, Miss Vincent", Hedgecock said. "But don't worry - they'll get justice soon enough."

"And think of it _this _way, Lieutenant: unlike last time with Murphy, you can take comfort knowing there's a RoboCop which you & your men _can _destroy!", Minnie-May says cheery with a wink. Everyone in the room, sans Murphy, grins to that as Hedgecock laughs a bit.

"Yes, Miss Hopkins! I know we'll get it right _this _time!", Hedgecock joked, facing RoboCop. "What interesting friends you have, Murphy!"

"Interesting & resourceful, Lieutenant", Murphy said. "These two can hold their own very well in dangerous situations, in spite of their young age. They will be most useful in this hunt."

"Well, they'll get their chance for it soon enough, especially once that unit finds out that they're still alive. Let's get to work."

"Let's", Murphy says as Hedgecock heads off. He faces Becky. "Becky Farrah, I've read that your skills on the computer are next to none. Can you dig up anything on this rogue unit?"

"Get me to a computer console, & I'll bet I can, RoboCop!", she says confidently.

"Then let me make you an official member of my tech team, Becky!", Marie said. "Let's search for it together!"

Becky nods proudly.

"Becky, anything you & Marie find about this renegade…", Roy began.

"We'll notify you immediately! Got it, Roy!", Becky finished. "Come on, Marie!"

Nodding, she & Becky head back to Murphy's lair, pride swelling within her. But she also had a sense of dread: this rogue RoboCop had nearly killed Rally & Minnie-May once, & there's every chance it might succeed. She pushes it aside, being only partly successful.

_Rally, Minnie-May…_please _be careful out there!_, Becky prayed to herself.

_Grosse Pointe Park, 11:00 p.m.:_

Mr. Schenck was a very happy man - a _very _happy man.

But before his gay, carefree life he currently cherishes, he had a rather rough one: being one of the roboticists for OCP, Mr. Schenck was all but invisible to all the higher-ups at the one-time giant conglomerate corporation, ranging from key man-turned-murderer Dick Jones to the Old Man himself. No matter how hard he worked or how much detail he presented to his staff, hardly anyone paid attention to the lowly scientist, ignored by all. Which was often.

And then came Dr. Juliette Faxx, a Ph. D, psychologist & one-time director of Marketing Concepts whose outer beauty concealed an evil dark persona from within. Even before she began working with Dr. Schenck, the man didn't like her one iota. His dislike of her grew when Faxx began making numerous screenings of high-profile criminals to find a candidate for her RoboCop 2 project, which would later be the new home to drug kingpin Cain. That, & the fact that she was updating the original RoboCop with all these ludicrous, preposterous new directives right into his systems after being reassembled didn't help their business relations either. Even by bringing her reports to Johnson did nothing to halt Faxx's project before it went on a rampage.

When things regarding the RoboCop 2 incident were brought to court, it became a turning point for Schenck: with help from Donald Johnson, Shyster Holzgang & the Old Man himself, Dr. Juliette Faxx was terminated from OCP indefinitely, being unceremoniously fired from all dealings with the company but luckily stayed out of serving time behind prison walls. But with his conscience getting the better of him due to all the death that the RoboCop 2/Cain unit had caused, Mr. Schenck also testified against Holzgang & the Old Man, explaining that along with being 100% supportive of Dr. Faxx's decision of placing a lunatic inside the robotic unit, he also confessed that they had a hand in using the killer robot in hunting down Mayor Marvin Kuzak & kill them while he & two of his councilmen were making a deal with Cain's people to bail the city out of debt.

Bringing this news to light of the courts, both Holzgang & the Old Man were sentenced to confinement - Holzgang to prison, with the Old Man under house arrest at Belle Isle with Morton Sr. himself.

Ironically, Schenck didn't testify against Donald Johnson, mainly because _he _was just as against Faxx's idea as Schenck was. In fact, Johnson himself _also _testified against the Old Man & Holzgang with Schenck, getting them their sentence. It was Darwin's survival of the fittest, & both Johnson & Schenck did what they had to do in order to move forward.

So grateful was Johnson to Schenck for his testimony in court that after the ED-209 fiasco in Chicago last month, he did something that Schenck never expected: a job over at Silverman Robotix as one of his chief advisors.

Without hesitation, Schenck practically _jumped _at the opportunity.

Now he lives the good life in a nice cozy house in Grosse Pointe Park, glad to have the past behind him indefinitely. Sitting down on his couch in a blue bathrobe with a medium bowl of pretzels in his hands & a cold refreshing bottle of Budweiser next to him on the table, Schenck enjoys a nice quiet evening viewing a commercial of Silverman Robotix before returning to the hit sitcom 'It's Not My Problem' with comedian Bixby Snyder, a middle-aged man with a bald spot on the top of his head & hair mostly on the sides & a Texas-style mustache under his nose. Dressed in a black tux, he knocks on the front door to his girlfriend's house.

"Hey sweetheart, you _decent _in there?", he asks with a huge grin.

"I sure _am_, Dave! Come on in!", she says from inside. When he opens the door, he finds his girl with two others. All three were smiling as big as he was, & were dressed in two-piece bikinis as Dave's girl holds twin big balloons in each hand in front of her chest, pretending they're her breasts. The balloons were both attached to the hoses of two tire pumps in which the other two girls worked, already inflated to a nice decent size.

"Wow! _Nice hooters!_ How big can they _get?_", he asked playfully.

"How big would you _want _them?", she asked seductively with a wink.

"_Whoa!_", he says, facing the camera. "I'll buy _that _for a dollar! Nyaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Both the unseen audience on TV & Schenck himself laugh as 'Dave' urges the girls to keep working their pumps & make the balloons even bigger than they already are, imagining that his girlfriend's breasts are swelling up. Schenck laughs so hard he almost chokes on his pretzels, but takes care of _that _little problem by taking a quick swig of his beer. Then he starts chuckling as he watches the girls inflate the balloons to their maximum size with big long necks, seconds away from popping with the audience laughing in amusement.

But before the inevitable pop can occur, all the electricity goes out, plunging the entire house into darkness.

"What the _hell_…?", Schenck says, most unhappy with missing the punch line. Placing his pretzel bowl on the table with his beer, Schenck walks over to the window to see if there's some sort of power outage in the area. When he takes a peek outside into the night, he sees that houses in the surrounding area were still _with _power, so no power stations were malfunctioning. There wasn't even a cloud in the sky, so bad weather was also out of the question.

_So why the hell is _my _house the only one without power?_, Schenck thought irritably.

Then he hears the sound of his back door opening, rather forcefully as if someone was trying to break in. Moving as fast as his slippers will allow him, Schenck heads over to the closet & takes out a Purdey Side-By-Side double-barreled shotgun, an ancient but still very powerful weapon. Opening it to see if it's loaded, he finds two shells already loaded into both chambers & snaps it shut. Raising it to his chest, Schenck steps carefully towards the sound of the break-in.

"Hello? Who's there?!", he warns, listening to any new sounds. When he hears none, he makes his intent perfectly clear. "Listen, whoever the hell you are! It's only fair to warn you that I've got a Purdey double-barreled shotgun in my arms, & I know how to _use _it! So unless you want to be granted a new asshole, I suggest you get the fuck off of my property - _now!_"

Entering the rear area of his house, Schenck places his weapon first & walks slowly in to find his back door pushed open with someone of great strength that a portion of the frame had splintered outwards. He found no traces of footprints anywhere, so he guessed that whoever did this to the door wasn't inside.

It didn't mean that the intruder was gone from the premises though.

He heard a slight noise again, only this time from the front of the house. His weapon still raised, Schenck raced up to the front door to see if the prowler was still present. If he _was_, then Schenck will make sure _this _burglary becomes his last. Taking a look out from one of his front windows, he sees his premises as empty as anyone else's this evening - no sign of any prowler anywhere.

Placing his back against the front door, Schenck breathes a collective sigh of relief.

_I guess I must've scared him off. Good_, he thought gladly with a smile on his face.

That's when he hears the slight 'snikt' of a sound like someone drawing a switchblade, & his eyes widen.

With sledgehammer force, a powerful right fist of white metal bashed itself through the door from behind & made its way into Schenck's back & out through his chest, his rib cage split open like a ripe fruit. Schenck's cry of anguish was cut short as he looks down to see this white fist with an extended stiletto by its knuckles stick out of his chest as bone, flesh & blood spewed out. He stayed conscious long enough to hear a voice - cold & metallic - speak to him, even as blood was coming in gushes from his mouth.

"Good evening, Mr. Schenck! I just stopped by to deliver a message to you - from an old acquaintance of yours! She says 'Hi'…"

Weak from blood loss, Schenck drops his shotgun to the floor as the metal intruder now withdraws his fist back out through the door, & the roboticist falls down & lands flat on his face in a puddle of his own blood.

"And good night!", the metal man finishes, walking away from the premises & back into his black SUV with tinted windows.

No one noticed him driving away into the night.

Not even the family dog.

_Wayne County Detention Facility, Hamtramck, Midnight:_

It was 'Lights Out' for all the inmates about an hour ago, but Shyster Holzgang wasn't sleepy. He lays on his bunk, staring at the bunk right above him. Before becoming an inmate here at this correction facility, Holzgang - a poker-faced attorney - was one of the top brass at Omni Consumer Products, being one of the Old Man's chief advisors along with Donald Johnson, his reign at OCP being at its strongest during the police strike. But like the Old Man, Holzgang went down when Mr. Schenck had testified against him due to his involvement in trying to assassinate Mayor Kuzak, the only survivor of RoboCop 2/Cain's hit on them.

On the subject of Mayor Marvin Kuzak, he lays on the top bunk above Shyster, but he was sound asleep & has been so since 'Lights Out' was announced. A slim African-American, Kuzak was a mayor with a rather short fuse, having more often than not shown signs of temper in the most inappropriate of times & places. Such is the case during the Old Man's presentation when Faxx's RoboCop 2 started becoming what it was made to fight. But _that _wasn't the worst of the ex-mayor's troubles: because of his involvement with hardened criminals to bail Detroit out of debt - a complete violation of the ethics any mayor had been sworn in to perform - he was sent to court, tried & imprisoned here at the Wayne County Detention Facility in the Hamtramck portion of Detroit.

Kuzak's arresting officer was none other than RoboCop himself.

And now he shares a bunk with Shyster Holzgang.

The former OCP attorney doesn't know whether or not if it was intentional to have him & Kuzak to share a cell together.

He _does _know that it wasn't a picnic, having him as his cellmate.

_If putting me & Kuzak in the same cell was someone's idea of a joke, no one's laughing!_, Holzgang thought with disgust. _At least, neither of _us _is!_

His train of thought got derailed when a lone guard came to his cell & tapped at the bars with his shotgun - a Remington. Holzgang turned to see a young black guard standing just right outside.

"Holzgang & Kuzak?", the guard asked.

"That's us", Shyster says. "What the hell do you _want?_"

"I need for you both to step out."

"What? Why? It's lights out, in case you forgot!", Holzgang argued. "Can't it wait until morning?"

"No! Get your partner up, & be quick about it!", the guard said firmly.

"Fine!", Shyster said, waking Kuzak from his slumber with his hands. After a few rudely attempts, he succeeds in getting him up, albeit grumpily.

"What?!", Kuzak says roughly but quietly. "Go back to sleep! Jesus Christ, don't you know it's lights out?!"

"Tell that to _him!_", Holzgang says, pointing to the guard outside their cell. Kuzak kept quiet & stopped arguing.

"Marvin Kuzak?", the guard asked.

"T-That's me, yes", he said with fear in his voice. "W-What can we do for you, officer?"

"I need for you both to come with me - now!"

The cell bars slide open to the right & the guard points his weapon at them both, using it to signal them to step out & accompany him. Heaving a sigh, Holzgang & Kuzak exit their cell & the guard orders them to start walking. The guard takes both men from out of the room past the other inmates, a few of them watching with one eye open & staying silent. Holzgang & Kuzak get taken to a stairwell leading down, & the guard orders them to descend. When they reach the bottom, a large metal door awaits them. Holzgang & Kuzak turn to the guard with uncertainty & confusion.

"Open that door & step inside - both of you!", the guard ordered. Kuzak was already eager to head inside but Holzgang stops him & turns to their armed escort.

"You mind telling us what this is all about?", he asked. His only answer was the cocking of the guard's shotgun, now aimed at their skulls.

"As a matter of fact…I _do!_ Now _get_ the fuck inside that room or I'll blow both your heads off!", he growled.

With a Remington in their faces, the two inmates had no choice but to comply.

"After you, your honor", Holzgang says to Kuzak, who gives the guard a sheepish smile before opening the large metal door & steps inside, followed immediately by the former OCP attorney himself. Once they were in, the guard slams the door shut with a loud noise that echoes down the corridors which was quickly followed up by a clicking that was almost equally loud.

Facing the corridors & then each other, the men have an uneasy feeling about it all.

"You any idea why we're down here?", Kuzak asked nervously. "Because _I _sure don't!"

"You're asking _me?_", Holzgang says. "I don't know _what's_ worse: being thrown here in prison with you, or being sent somewhere to which I haven't got a _clue_ as to where we go from here, _also _with you clinging to my ass!"

"_Look here_, OCP man!", Kuzak said angrily, getting in Holzgang's face. "Being here in the _fucking _slammer with _you _as my cellmate ain't no party for me either! If you'd _just_ paid the city what you owed it, you wouldn't even _be _here right now!"

"Oh really?", Holzgang says, undettered by Kuzak's tirade. "It wasn't _I _who went on out to negotiate with goddamn _drug lords _in an attempt to _do _just that! Whatever the hell happened to America's policy of 'We don't negotiating with terrorists'? And yet, you go _out _of your way to make a deal with those who break the law so you can be a hero & go make a better name for yourself! Didn't _go_ too well, did it?"

"It goddamn _would've_, had you filthy _fucks _over at OCP hadn't sent that killer robot after us! Had you kept your dirty-ass noses _out _of our affairs, we could've made Detroit _safe _again for decent people!"

"Try telling _that _to Darren Thomas & George Poulos! It was _your _tunnel-vision that got them both _killed!_"

"Oh, I don't know about _that!_ I believe I'm staring at their _real _killer right _here!_"

Holzgang rolled his eyes & sighed.

"_What_ever, 'your honor'!", he humphed. "Look, we can _keep on _assessing blame at each other until we're old & gray, or we can travel down this corridor until we get to the end of it! Who knows? It might lead us to a secret exit so we can _escape _from this rat trap! Maybe _that's _why that guard sent us down here!"

Kuzak knew Holzgang had a good point. Maybe the guard has some friends on the outside to arrange an 'early parole' for them. If that _was _the truth, then Kuzak was up for it, even if it meant traveling with the devil himself.

And Shyster Holzgang was already halfway there in a similar likeness.

"After you!", Kuzak said, gesturing with his arms. Holzgang smiled slightly & took lead, with Kuzak following close behind. The corridor was almost totally dark with very little light to guide the way. More often than not they collided with pipes from the walls & even a couple from overhead. Going down a distance made them like the idea even less as time went on.

"Shit!", Holzgang barked. "Just how far do we even need to go _down _this fucking thing anyway?"

"Maybe it was the _other _corridor we had to go down", Kuzak said.

"You volunteering for that, Kuzak?"

Taking a look back over his shoulder & seeing nothing, Kuzak has second thoughts.

"I-I'll take your word for it. Let's just keep moving!", he says. "Maybe we're supposed to be _meeting _someone down here!"

"Yes, your honor. You _are_."

The sudden echoing voice caused them both to stop in their tracks. They take a nervous glance at each other before Holzgang calls out.

"Who's there?"

"Just a little further, gentlemen!", the voice said. With no other alternative, both Holzgang & Kuzak kept going but at a more slower, cautious pace. After a few more steps, the voice spoke again, this time very close.

"This way."

The voice came at their left, & they turned to see another corridor that was pitch black. Not knowing who it was or being able to see inside even in the slightest, Kuzak answered back.

"A-Are _you _the one we need to meet?", he asks in a nervous tone.

"Yes."

Taking a step out of his hiding place, a man made entirely out of metal came into view of Holzgang & Kuzak, both of whom stare at the abomination with eyes that go agape with fright & back up against the wall.

"R-RoboCop?", Kuzak said, barely getting the name out.

"Sorry, your honor. Not exactly", he said, his white & blue metal making a shine even in the dim light, his Auto-9 pistol in hand.

"_You?!_", Holzgang says, his jaw dropping.

"You remember me, Holzgang. I must admit, I'm rather touched. Then again, you _were _the one who sent me to oblivion that first time…weren't you?"

Too scared to speak, Kuzak faced the former OCP attorney.

"You _know _him?!", he barked. When he didn't answer, Kuzak faced the metal man.

"W-What do _you _want with _us?!_", he asked.

"Here's a hint!", the metal man said, raising his gun at them.

Seeing the gun aimed at them, Holzgang & Kuzak gathered up their strength & started running back the way they came, ignoring the trepidation they're feeling & crying in terror all the way. When they got back to the door they entered, they tried pulling & pushing at it, forgetting the fact that it had been locked by the guard who sent them in the basement in the first place.

They do the only other thing they can do in their predicament.

They cry out in horror.

"_Heeeeeelllllllp! Somebody help us!_", Kuzak shouted, banging on the door as hard as he could, scared out of his mind.

"_Hello! Somebody! Anybody! HELP US!_", Holzgang screamed, banging the door with his fists. Both frightened men kept on banging the door in hopes that someone would hear the noise they were making & come to their rescue, screaming at the top of their lungs.

With their constant banging & shouting, neither Holzgang nor Kuzak heard another sound until the RoboCop in the room with them fired his Auto-9 pistol. The rounds pierced Holzgang's right kneecap, shattering it. Crying out in pain, he falls to the concrete floor just as the same fate befalls Kuzak. Flesh, patella bone & blood spray over the door, walls & floor as both men now grab their shattered wounds to cease the blood flow, their pain causing them to shed tears. They first hear the metallic footsteps of the lunatic RoboCop marching towards them, & they back up against the stone wall behind them. Even in the low lighting, they can see the metal menace stare down at them as he holsters his gun in his right leg.

But just because the gun is gone, it didn't make their attacker any less dangerous: like the original, he can still do plenty of damage to a person with his own two hands.

"What's the matter, boys? Not used to being the little guy, on your knees & begging for your life?", the blue RoboCop says. Holzgang & Kuzak began shaking their heads in a plead to have their lives spared, sobbing. It did no good: from both of its white metal fists, a large stiletto protruded from the knuckles. The dread of the two bleeding men grew vastly.

"Long ago, you put my lights out for many years, Shyster Holzgang!", the blue RoboCop said, holding his fists in front of him. "Now it's time for me to return you the favor by putting out yours…_permanently!_"

Pointing both his stilettos forward, the renegade RoboCop lunges forward & sticks both men in their chests just below the neck all the way in before working his way down with them.

Loud as they screamed, no one heard Shyster Holzgang or Marvin Kuzak from where they were being skewered. And if they did, no one would bother to help either of them.

They were in prison.

And in prison, bad things were bound to happen.

And when bad things happen in prison, there's _nowhere _to run.

**CHAPTER V**

_June 29__th__, Metro West Station, 10:00 a.m.:_

Marie Lazarus & Becky Farrah look as if neither has slept in a month. They spent the whole day up into the night trying to find any & all info on the renegade RoboCop which killed Mr. Morton Sr. & the Old Man from OCP, & _tried _to do the same to Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins in Chicago a few nights ago. But even with their unparalleled computer-hacking skills, neither computer nerd had broken ice yet. Finally, at midnight, they gave it a rest & went to get some well-deserved shut-eye.

Getting back on the computer, Becky stifles a yawn & rubs her eyes as she resumes where she & Marie left off, as the latter comes up from behind her & presents Becky with a fresh hot cup of tea.

"Here. I think you could use this", she says as Becky gladly accepts.

"Do I ever!", Becky says, taking a much-needed sip. "But I doubt that a fresh hit of tea or coffee can help with our situation, Marie. We've been at this all day & most of last night, & all we came _up _with are repeated signs of 'Access Denied' messages flashing on the screen. I don't know what else to _do_, & Murphy & the others are _counting _on us to get some answers about the tin man's psychotic double! Is there something we're _not _doing right, Marie?"

"We're using all our hacking talents, Becky", Marie says. "I can't figure out as to _why _we aren't digging anything up about this rogue RoboCop. Everything we've tried so far is a bust."

"Maybe we should concentrate on why access _is_ denied. It could be that only a certain amount of people would know how to grant it."

"Good point. Why don't we begin with what we already know?"

"I think I see where you're coming from, Marie", Becky said, feeling somewhat refreshed. "Let's begin where it was undoubtedly made. Since I'm guessing my next pay voucher that blue RoboCop was made at OCP, then that can _only _mean…"

When the realization hit them simultaneously, their stamina were refreshed better than any amount of tea _or _coffee could do.

"Of _course! _Why didn't we _think _of that _before?_", Becky says, smiling. "If _anyone _would know the access code to this rogue unit, it's someone formerly from OCP!"

"Right! And I know _just _the candidate who can help us with this!", Marie says, heading over to her vidphone as Becky rushes to join her.

Smiling with triumph, Marie dials a number.

_Silverman Robotix:_

Donald Johnson sat in his seat at his cushy office, going over the day's paperwork as he decides which ordeal to handle first. Ever since he was offered the job as the new President of Paxton Silverman's company after the ED-209 fiasco in Chicago last month, Johnson was more or less swamped with calls, licensing fees & reporters shoving mikes in his face about his newest position once he returned from the Windy City to the town he calls home. It was a headache that never seemed to go away.

But considering he once worked for a madman with robots that were just as maniacal, it was paradise, & he'd happily take the strains of running a _company _rather than the world itself.

_Don't worry, Paxton - I'll take _real _good care of your company for you!_, Johnson thought sarcastically, seeing the irony in it all. He grinned at the thought.

Next to his computer, Johnson's vidphone began buzzing.

Hitting a button, the screen comes to life.

"Johnson here", he says. Who he sees made him smile. "Marie! This _is _a surprise! How _are _things down at Metro West these days?"

"Hello, Johnson", Marie says, smiling briefly before becoming serious. "I'm afraid this isn't a social call. We're trying to look up something in the old OCP files, & we desperately need your help on it."

"The old files on OCP? What exactly is it you need to look up on?"

"Well, it's something Sergeant Reed has asked us to keep under wraps, but it's something _you _really need to know, Johnson. Out there somewhere is a…"

A barrage of gunfire interrupts their call which was heard even by Marie on the vidphone. Alarms begin to blare in the background.

"Holy _shit_, Johnson! Was that _gunfire _I just heard?!", Marie said, shouting to be heard over the klaxons.

"And how, Marie!", said Johnson. "We're under attack! I'll call you back later!"

"Wait, Johnson, _don't! _That just might be the…", Marie started to say but was cut off by Johnson, who terminated the call before getting up from his chair & outside his office. The sound of klaxons were ten times louder, & he can still hear multiple rounds of gunfire from his guard's powerful M-16s along with _another _gun going off. This one had a _familiar _sound to it, & the black man's heart skipped a beat from hearing it.

_Impossible! It _couldn't_ be him!_, Johnson thought as he raced to the disturbance. He refused to believe that the gun he was hearing aside from the M-16s was an Auto-9, the gun RoboCop himself uses. But he knew that it could _not _be Murphy blazing away at his armed guards, who were crying out in pain & terror as the unknown threat kept killing his men as horrified workers fled the scene as fast as they could. Johnson was about to ask an employee when one of them - a young female with short brown hair & glasses - runs up to him & saves him the trouble.

"Mr. Johnson! Get out of here - quickly!", she says in a panic.

"What _is _it? Who's attacking us?!", he shouts over the alarm.

"It's RoboCop! He's gone _berserk!_"

"What?!"

That's when several figures, mostly guards who get blown away in the chest, were thrown inside, followed by their assailant: it was a metal man in blue, black & white holding an Auto-9 in his right hand. Upon seeing it, Johnson's heart skipped a beat as he fought to regain his composure. What he was now witness to was not possible to him, but watching all of his armed personell getting slaughtered by this unit couldn't be denied.

_Jesus Christ, it's come back!_, he thought with trepidation.

"Go! Get out of here!", Johnson ordered the female.

"But what about _you?_", she asked.

"_Just go! Please!_"

Not wanting to catch a bullet, the female ran away as fast as she could, careful not to get hit by a stray shot or even a ricochet. Johnson takes his own advice in part & hides behind a pair of metal crates as more of his guards come in & blaze away at the RoboCop impostor, who was completely unfazed by the volley of high-powered rounds slamming into its body & doing not a pinch of damage. Aiming its Auto-9, the blue RoboCop fires at each of its attackers, striking them in the chest & heads, all shots hitting their marks & going all the way through, splattering blood, bone & brains as the bodies keep piling up on the hard concrete floor.

Before long, all guards in the room were laying in puddles of their own blood as Johnson comes out of his hiding place. As the impostor aims his gun on the black man, a door opens & in come more guards as the renegade RoboCop turns to them, aimed at the first man.

"No, Wait! _Don't! Stand down! _That's an order!", Johnson said just as the alarms stopped sounding, eager to defuse the situation & prevent another bloody scenario from occurring. The rogue unit kept his gun aimed but didn't fire.

"But Mr. Johnson, that thing _killed_…", the lead guard said.

"I know, & I'm sorry! But let _me _handle this! Please!", Johnson said, cutting him off.

After a moment or two, the guard makes his call.

"Don't make us regret it, sir!", he said to Johnson before turning to his men. "Fall back! All of you, fall back! Now!"

Obeying their commander, the guards retreat into the next room, leaving their boss alone with a lunatic robot. Lowering his gun, he faces the former OCP executive.

"Hello, Johnson!", he said, looking at his surroundings. "I see that you've moved up in the world after your days at OCP!"

"What the _hell _do you want?!", Johnson barked at the impostor, backing away towards the wall.

"Isn't it obvious? Retribution! Restitution! And, a little _revenge _for a side dish!", the impostor said, stepping towards Johnson at a leisurely pace. "I only think that's pretty fair, giving what you & the others at OCP _did _to me when I was first created! Don't you? Time to meet your maker, Johnson!"

"No, impostor! Time for you to meet _yours!_", Johnson said, pressing a button on the wall next to a large passageway as a metal gate lifts up vertically & reveals a shocking revelation.

A pair of ED-209s!

The RoboCop impostor's mouth opens in surprise, seeing twin units in dark blue metal like his, with designs of fire on its arms for customizing & decoration. Missile ports were on both sides of each arm, doubling its armament along with the twin muzzle cannons in front. The two units step out of their place & stop only inches from Johnson.

"How…how can this _be?_", the impostor said, taking a few steps back. "I've been told that the President ordered a complete _recall _of the ED-209 units after the disaster which occurred in Chicago!"

"You're right about _that_, at least!", Johnson said with a smirk. "The President _did _make such an order, & all ED-209s were taken off the streets & most dismantled into scrap! But, he _never _said anything about a man not having one or two for his own private collection! And _these _two bad boys here…they're a request from the Big Man himself, saying I can keep them as long as they stay within the premises! Oh, and they answer _only _to _me!_" Johnson turns to the two EDs. "ED-209s, this man _threatens _me & my property! I want him removed from these premises immediately! And if he won't go _peacefully_, then _physically eject _him!"

"Yes sir!", both ED-209 units say as one. "Attention, trespasser! You are on private property & are asked to remove yourself! You have 20 seconds to comply!"

The rogue RoboCop doesn't _wait _for his 20 seconds to be up: raising his Auto-9, he fires at the first ED-209 unit in rapid succession, but each high-powered bullet merely bounces off the ED-209's tough hide. Retaliating, both EDs open fire with their muzzle cannons as they strike the impostor's metal hide, & this time there _is _damage done. The blue metal gets dented in the chest, arms & legs as he gets pushed backwards by the barrage, nearly losing his footing. Upping the ante, one ED-209 launches a pair of small missiles from its side ports & races towards the rogue unit, who dodges at the last second. The missiles strike equipment & blows pieces around everywhere. Although he avoids meeting the same fate, the force of the explosion knocks the renegade forward & onto his face with a loud clang. Lifting his head up, he sees a large metal foot swing back & thrusts it forward into his face. Metals collide as the impostor gets kicked like a football that sends him soaring through the air & into more equipment, causing an avalanche of debris to fall down upon him.

Amazingly, he holds his gun in his right hand the whole time, never letting it go once.

It did little good as the ED-209s resumed firing their cannons at the renegade, denting his body further. Through the barrage, the rogue unit still manages to fire his Auto-9 at his attackers, but it was too little, too late: the ED-209s outmatched him in every way from size to firepower. If he doesn't escape now, there won't anything _left _of him to _make _an escape.

One of the ED-209s make his escape easy for him: one of them lowers its pontoon-like arms & raises it like a catapult, making contact with the impostor's chin & sending him flying through the air & into the wall, creating a large hole & crashes into the parking lot where employees were still trying to get to their vehicles & away from the slaughter happening within. The RoboCop impostor then crashes onto the hood of an unlucky employee's car, caving it in like a soda can & killing the engine. The driver was violently thrusted forward in his seat & hit his head against the dashboard before falling back, bleeding slightly but alive. Both ED-209s aim their guns at the rogue unit as it lifts himself off the battered hood of the car, but a word from Johnson prevents any further action on their part.

"Halt! Cease fire & retreat back inside!", he orders them, not wanting to violate the trust the President placed in him about his two 'souvenirs'.

"Yes sir!", the ED-209s replied, taking backward steps & disappearing from sight. Johnson then signals the rest of his armed guards to pick up where the EDs left off & resume firing their guns at the renegade RoboCop as it staggers across the lot with bullets striking its metal hide as employees in their cars & on foot scramble to get out of the way, giving them a clear shot at the escaping robot.

Despite the constant shooting, the rogue unit makes it back into his black SUV, even as bullets continue pounding it & him furiously. Starting the ignition, the black SUV speeds off as round after fierce round gets pumped into the fleeing vehicle, heading west on Lynch Road.

_Wayne County Detention Facility:_

With Rally & Minnie-May in tow, RoboCop arrives at the scene underneath the prison in the basement of the facility with the warden & two guards where the bloodied bodies of Shyster Holzgang & Marvin Kuzak lay on the floor. By order of the warden, the two prison guards had remove the thick tarp to reveal their bodies as both men were gutted from chest to rectum, their faces in a frozen look of utter terror like they'd seen a ghost, their eyes widened & mouth fully agape. Even a split-second sighting was more than enough for Rally & Minnie-May to turn away at the ghastly scene & keep their distance. In all their years of fighting vicious criminals & seeing horrible sights, this was by far the worst Rally & Minnie-May have ever beared witness to, & the stench filling the air didn't help to improve their mood either; the sooner they were out of this place & away from both the bodies _and _the stench, the better.

Even though more machine than man, RoboCop clenched his teeth in shock & disgust upon seeing their corpses.

"Jesus jumping _Christ!_", the warden said repulsively. "In all my years of looking at horrid crime scene photos, I ain't _never _seen anything as brutal as _this_ shit! All right, boys - cover 'em up!"

The two guards comply with the man's orders & place the tarp back over the bodies. The warden shakes his head in sympathy.

"Poor souls", he says. "Even though they both did wrong, whether it be at OCP _or _at the Mayor's office, neither of these two deserved such a ghastly fate."

"Agreed, warden", RoboCop said. "They were found this morning?"

"That's right. At about 6 a.m.. One of our janitors caught a whiff of something & followed the stench of it here. When he opened the door, was _he _in for a surprise! It took us three whole hours to clean up all the innards of those two & shoo away all the vermin down here from having a goddamn _feast _on them! We _would've _called you down here sooner, but…"

"I understand. You did the right thing, waiting to contact us. Did you or your men find any forced entry in this immediate area?"

"They did a full sweep of the area until they found a door near the baseball field on Conant Street. The door was actually _pushed in_, like it was made out of nothing more than _tin foil!_ How is that even _possible? _Unless…"

"Warden, you need to know that there is a rogue RoboCop out there somewhere in this city", Murphy said before blame can be assessed to the wrong person. "It resembles me in almost every fashion, but is dark blue in color with white hands & helmet. We're striving to keep it as confidential as possible to avoid spreading panic. Will you do the same among your people here inside this prison, guard & inmate alike?"

"You even need to ask, Robo?", the warden said.

"Thank you, warden. Keep your daily activities the same as usual to avoid suspicion. If any of your people happen to _see _this rogue unit, contact us immediately & do not engage if it can be helped."

"Not a problem. Go _find _your evil twin & put an end to him!"

RoboCop nodded & walked away, heading towards the two Gunsmith Cats.

"Will you both be all right, Rally, Minnie-May?", Murphy asks sincerely.

"Yeah, I suppose so", Minnie-May says softly.

"We'll live, Murphy", Rally replied. "We heard everything you & the warden talked about back there. Why _is _your diabolical double hunting down & killing those formerly from OCP?"

"And why the former mayor, at that?", Minnie-May adds. "Revenge, perhaps?"

"It seems to be the best motive, Minnie-May", RoboCop said. "The Old Man, the CEO, Mr. Schenck over at Grosse Pointe Park, & now Shyster Holzgang & ex-Mayor Marvin Kuzak. Most of them were from Omni Consumer Products, sans Kuzak."

"But why _him?_", Rally asks. "He wasn't really tied in with OCP, aside from owing the city a debt of over 37 million dollars in order to keep it from falling into the Old Man's hands."

"But we know that this rogue unit is _choosing _his targets!", Minnie-May said. "If he's going after those formerly from Omni Consumer Products, then possibly _next _on his hit list could very well be…"

The realization hit the trio.

"Johnson!", they said in unison.

"We'd better _get _to him before _he _does!", Minnie-May said.

"One moment, girls! Incoming transmission!", RoboCop said, holding up his hand to listen in & silence the ladies. After several moments, Murphy makes his announcement.

"The unit has been spotted at Silverman Robotix, leaving the scene after a brutal fight with armed guards, heading down Lynch Road & turning right on Van Dyke Avenue!"

"Is that far from where we are?", Rally asked.

"No. We can cut him off if we hurry!"

"Then let's do it!", Minnie-May said with a fist. "He's gotten away with murder for _too damn long! _Let's make the warden & everyone else in Detroit happy by granting him his wish!"

"That makes _three _of us, May! Let's roll!", Rally says as RoboCop nods.

As one, the trio make their way out of the prison.

_Grosse Pointe Park:_

The police were just about finished removing the body of Schenck, placing him in a black body bag & placing him in the back of the coroner's van. Sergeant Reed, Detective Roy Coleman & Lieutenant Hedgecock were present at the scene, having talked to most of the locals. Sadly, not much was learned, putting them in the dark despite it being a clear sunny day.

"Unbelievable", Hedgecock said with disappointment in his tone. "All these locals in the area, & no one ever heard or saw _anything_."

"Don't be too hard on them, Lieutenant", Reed says. "It happened late at night, so they were no doubt all soundly asleep. If they _had _heard something, they'd've called us long ago."

"I guess you're right, Sergeant. But how can that rogue unit go & _do _this to a man without making any noise & alerting the populace in the area?"

"No one knows", said Roy Coleman. "But we _do _know that it _was _that rogue unit. How many individuals can _you _name that can punch his way through a door & then a man's chest with ease like that?"

"It a very _short _list, Detective", Reed said as Roy & Hedgecock nodded.

The squawk box from Reed's cruiser came to life, & he, Coleman & Hedgecock rush over to hear the incoming message. Reed turns up the volume.

"…repeat, all units be on the lookout for a black SUV containing fugitive RoboCop inside, last seen at Silverman Robotix facility, heading down Lynch Road turning right on Van Dyke Avenue & heading south. All officers proceed with caution."

"_Got him!_", Hedgecock said. "Come on, folks! This time that walking pile of scrap does _not _get away from us!"

Nodding, the officers race back to their vehicles & converge on their radios to any & all other officers in the immediate vicinity of the renegade RoboCop's last known position. Tires screech the asphalt as cruisers race away from the peaceful Grosse Pointe park area to cut off the rogue's path & halt his rampage for good.

It was time to make room for only _one _RoboCop in all of Detroit.

_Van Dyke Avenue, five minutes later:_

The blue RoboCop drove his battered SUV frantically with some of Johnson's guards in hot prusuit, guns blazing away & causing more damage to the already wrecked vehicle. The high-powered shooting even drowned out the sirens blaring as bullets strike constantly, shattering the windows & its driver from behind. The rogue unit ignores it like they were nothing more than bothersome flies swarming around his head, but knows a lucky hit might disrupt his circuits if hit hard enough in the head, where most of the rounds are now striking him at.

RoboCop's blue devil of a double takes action: drawing his gun, the rogue unit slams on his brakes & skids along the road. The pursuing units get caught off-guard by this maneuver & zoom past him, leaving them now in front of the renegade who aims his gun & starts shooting at his one-time pursuers. His first shots hit the driver of the vehicle on the right in his cheek that sends him into a tree on a slight corner, stopping it in a violent crash that makes the driver slam into the windshield & crush his cranium, splattering blood & brains onto it. He immediately follows it up with another spray from his Auto-9 at the left rear tire on the other vehicle on the right, bursting it like a pool toy. The driver fights for control with the wheel, but his car wins out: unable to keep it steady, he slams into his comrade on the left, & they both smash into a building just before they reach Harper Avenue. Civilians in the area barely escaped getting hit.

Three down & one to go.

For the final car, the renegade steps on the gas & races up to their leader as his partner keeps firing his weapon at the rogue unit. When they get to Edsel Ford, the renegade fires his gun at the driver & hits him in the arm, putting his sense of balance off for a few seconds. It was all he needed: the shots made the driver swerve to the left with a violent jerk & race them across the bridge over the Edsel Ford Freeway. Smashing through the concrete barrier, the vehicle gets sent off the bridge & into the lanes of westbound traffic…right into a tanker!

Both guards had only a second or two to scream before colliding with the massive tanker which exploded on contact into a large fireball that consumed & killed a number of motorists on the freeway who couldn't stop in time. Those who did were smashed from the rear as a major pile-up was now occurring in both east & west directions, killing a few dozen & injuring dozens more. Indifferent to the catastrophe he created, the renegade made his way off the bridge & onto Edsel Ford East.

A second later, his SUV gets sideswiped hard by an oncoming cruiser, killing the engine of the too-much-damaged vehicle & causing a plume of smoke to rise. The rogue unit turns to see who crashed & killed his ride.

He becomes face-to-face with none other than RoboCop himself!

And he saw that he wasn't alone: in the front & back seats of the cruiser was the Gunsmith Cats themselves, Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins. They all stare at each other for several tense moments before RoboCop, the renegade & Rally step out of their vehicles as the three individuals aim their guns at one another: the two RoboCops with their Auto-9s & Rally with a Desert Eagle Magnum.

"So, we finally meet, RoboCop!", the rogue unit says before turning to Rally. "I see you & Miss Hopkins survived, Miss Vincent! I suppose I should've made sure you both _had _burned up back in Chicago!"

"That's right, asshole, you _should _have!", Rally barked. "And believe me, you're not gonna _get _another chance to roast us again!"

"It's _over_, impostor!", said RoboCop. "You're coming with us! Surrender now, or you will be destroyed! You shall _not _be warned again, & there are _no _third options!"

"Yes…there is!", said the renegade, swiveling behind him to a silver Pontiac his scanners picked up which stopped at a distance of twelve feet when the cars collided. The driver of the Pontiac had no time to do anything, not even scream: the rogue unit shot him in the face, blowing it off & a large hole in the back as blood, flesh & bone splattered the interior. With his seat belt on, the man slumps in his seat.

This action angered Robocop & his two partners from the Windy City.

"You…_motherfucker!_", Rally shouted as she & Murphy started blazing away at the rogue unit with their firearms, making him stagger with each shot but who still manages to make it to the Pontiac. Opening the driver's side door, he yanks the dead man out, snapping the seat belt with ease. The body gets thrown across the street as the renegade puts the Pontiac into reverse for a moment or two before spinning it around & continues racing down Van Dyke, with Rally & RoboCop getting back into the cruiser to give chase. Before taking off, the rogue unit fires upon Minnie-May in the back seat, who ducks down at the last second as the window for the right-side door shatters, spraying her with broken glass.

"You all right, Minnie-May?", Rally asks her partner.

"I'll live, Rally!", Minnie-May says, brushing the shards off herself. "Let's _get _that filthy fucker & teach him _not_ to scorn us women!"

"Oh yeah!", Rally says with a smile as Minnie-May does the same. Facing front, she sees the renegade is about ten feet ahead of them as RoboCop gets on his built-in radio.

"RoboCop to all available units! We have encountered the renegade RoboCop at Edsel Ford East next to the freeway! Shots have been fired with a civilian casualty! Suspect is on the move in a silver Pontiac heading down south on Van Dyke Avenue!"

Murphy sees his devious double making a right turn down the road, & continues calling his report in.

"Attention! Suspect has now turned onto Gratiot Avenue & are heading southwest towards city limits!"

A male voice over his squawk box makes its announcement moments later for all to hear.

"_RoboCop, Sergeant Reed has informed us that you are to stop the rogue unit by whatever means necessary! Do not, repeat, do _not_ allow it into the city _at all_! Copy?_"

"10-4, Dispatch! Will engage on an intercept course! RoboCop out!"

Murphy turns to Rally & Minnie-May.

"You heard the man, ladies!", he says as they grin with anticipation.

"Oh, _we _heard him, all right!", Minnie-May said, digging into her light green jacket.

"_I'll _say we did!", Rally said, finishing loading up her 12-Gauge shotgun. "Get us in closer, Murphy! It's time to take off the gloves!"

"Yes it is! Hold tight!", Murphy said, pressing down on the accelerator. In almost nothing flat, they catch up with the renegade & give his new ride a hard hit with their bumper. The rogue unit was unfazed, even when he gets hit several more times & a powerful blast from Rally's 12-Gauge shotgun that shattered the rear windshield in a million shards. Leaning out the right-side window, Rally fires her 12-Gauge six more times at the rogue unit, hitting him dead-on with each shot. Murphy gives Rally backup with his own Auto-9 pistol & shoots through his windshiend, creating a sizable hole that will allow him to fire with one hand as he drives with the other. The renegade swerves left & right as Robocop & Rally let loose a volley of rounds that begin to shred the Pontiac in various spots, blowing out more windows & making craters on the car's exterior as they keep racing down Gratiot Avenue. Innocent motorists & civilians that see & hear the chase heading their way flee the scene before becoming involved in it, most likely as a casualty.

It gave the renegade an idea: up ahead of him at about fifty feet was a mother & her young daughter who was mainly eight years of age. Racing ahead of his pursuers at a distance of thirty feet, the rogue unit opens fire on the mother, shooting her square in the chest & killing her even before she hit the ground. Seeing her mother killed right in front of her drove the child in a frenzy & she screams in terror, running into the street to get away & barely missing the Pontiac as it races by.

She runs right in RoboCop's path!

As the cyborg cop slams on the brakes, Rally calls out to him.

"Murphy! Coming through!"

"Got it!", Murphy called out, turning the wheel over to the right. As the girl saw the cruiser coming in fast, her eyes open wide in fear as Murphy opens his door & grabs the child before passing her to Rally, who in turn opens _her _door & places the child onto the street again on her feet, alive & unharmed.

Realizing she was alive, the child went back to the sidewalk, crying for help.

Getting the cruiser back in pursuit, RoboCop fights the wheel to regain control after their little stunt to avoid crushing the girl into a bloody smear on their vehicle. Succeeding, they speed up after their quarry, more pissed than before.

"That fucking metallic son of a _bitch!_", Minnie-May spat. "It's bad enough he's out there killing officers & lowlifes, but doing so now to innocent civilians…_that's _where the fucking line is drawn! Get us in closer, Murphy - I've got a _little surprise_ for this asshole!"

"You heard her, Murphy!", Rally snapped, getting her shotgun ready again after reloading it. "_I _want a _word _or two with this fucking trash compactor _myself!_"

"You & me both, ladies! Playtime is officially over!", RoboCop said, following the renegade down to Beaubien Street & turning left once they reach it. Because of heavier traffic & civilians, Murphy & the two Gunsmith Cats were not so reckless with firing their weapons until they get a clear chance.

So they strike now: pulling up beside the renegade, Rally aims her shotgun right at the unit's face.

"_Payback time, motherfucker!_", she shouted, sending a trio of blasts from her weapon into her enemy's face. The shots were powerful at close range, but turning his head to the right the metal took the brunt & hardly doing any damage.

"Big mistake, Miss Vincent!", the renegade says, aiming his own Auto-9 at the Gunsmith Cat & fires. As Rally ducks down behind the door, Murphy slams on the brakes to pull back of their quarry, the bullets hitting only the windshield & a few parked cars on the other side of the road. The rogue unit pulls ahead down Beaubien as Murphy & company keep their distance.

"Is it done, Minnie-May?", Murphy asked.

"Oh yeah, Murph!", she replied with a wink, a smile & a big thumbs-up. "That 'little surprise' I said I'd give him has been planted, & he should be receiving it right about…"

The renegade drives on, reaching East Jefferson Avenue. In his rear-view mirror, he sees a wad of plastique with a timer stuck on the rear of his vehicle right where the gas tank is.

"Now!"

_BOOM!_

As soon as his car touches the intersection, the rear of the rogue's car explodes into a large fireball that lifts the Pontiac into the air & getting three-quarters of the way across East Jefferson Avenue before landing onto its roof, crushing it & shattering all the windows as glass litter the streets. The forward momentum drags the Pontiac across Beaubien until it ricochets off the curb & crashes into the Renaissance Center. Sirens blare in the distance as various cruisers approach the scene & get the surrounding area confined.

"_Attention, citizens! This area is a hot zone! Please vacate the premises immediately!_", the cyborg cop says, using his voice as a loudspeaker once he gets within range. Civilians from the area comply with RoboCop's orders & run for shelter even before he made his announcement heard by all. Stepping out from his cruiser, RoboCop, Rally & Minnie-May are met with several well-armed officers sporting heavy-duty rifles & shotguns. Three of them happen to be Manson, Starkweather & Lieutenant Hedgecock themselves, armed & ready to do battle as they cordon off the street.

"Holy _shit_, man!", Starkweather said. "Where the fuck did that _explosion _come from?"

"You can thank Minnie-May for _that_, Starkweather!", Rally said with a smile as said girl winked at the amazed officer.

"Wow! I guess big booms really _do _come in small packages!", Manson said, impressed.

"Not bad, sweetheart!", Hedgecock said with a little grin.

"Care to do the honors, Lieutenant?", RoboCop asks.

"Gladly!", Hedgecock said, raising his megaphone & becoming all business. "_You in the Pontiac! Exit the vehicle & lay face down on the ground! If you do not comply with these orders, we will take you down with everything we've got! This is your final warning!_"

Guns raised, the officers stay their positions & keep their distance from the renegade unit still in the totaled Pontiac. They dare not get too close to it, knowing how deadly Murphy's devil of a double is, having cold-bloodedly killed cops & even those once from OCP. Many tense seconds tick by, waiting for the slightest offense the rogue unit might (& probably _will_) make.

"Sure wish Roy & Sergeant Reed were here!", Minnie-May said softly but was still heard.

"They told us to go on ahead!", Manson replied. "Said something about bringing back some 'heavy duty' backup!"

"We'll make do until they arrive!", RoboCop said.

They give the unit a full minute to comply with Hedgecock's orders. In all that time, no sound was made, making some officers nervous & others curious.

"Still no movement!", Starkweather said. "Who knows? Maybe Minnie-May's bomb shut it down for good!"

"I don't think so, Starkweather!", Rally warns. "I fired a fucking _shotgun _in the back of his head at point-blank range, & he hardly even _flinched!_"

"All the more reason to keep our distance!", Murphy said. "We have no idea what tricks this renegade has up its sleeve, so it is best to maintain our position & wait for…"

From out of nowhere, one of the doors of the Pontiac comes flying away from the main body by a well-placed metal foot. The door flies off across the street & right at two officers, who couldn't react fast enough: acting like a horizontal guillotine, the door slices both cops in half at the midsection & into the cruiser behind them. Blood spews everywhere as the top halves of the officers topple over & hit the pavement, looks of shock on their faces as their legs follow seconds later.

"_Son of a BITCH! Open fire!_", Hedgecock shouted as every officer opened up with their guns, no round of ammunition being spared. Even Rally unloads with the 12-Gauge in her hands as Minnie-May stays behind her with a grenade in one hand, waiting for a clear chance to use it. Even with a barrage of bullets in his face, the renegade still manages to stand up & begin firing his own Auto-9 pistol at the officers, killing three in rapid succession. Hedgecock immediately tells everyone to get to both sides of the street & spread out so as not to give their metal foe any easy targets at close range.

It was only partly successful: even getting split up & using their cars as shields, the rogue unit was _still _picking off cops one at a time, shooting through windows & weak spots in the cruisers. As officers scramble for better position & protection, the renegade does a rapid salvo of gunfire at the remaining cops. Officers Manson & Starkweather hit the pavement to avoid being hit, but several cops get it in the gut & go down. That also includes Hedgecock himself, who gets struck by a pair of stray shots in the chest & falls onto his back.

The rogue unit's salvo ended as quickly as it began, leaving even more officers dead, sans Manson, Starkweather, a wounded Hedgecock & three others who managed to avoid the deadly salvo in the nick of time.

"This is Manson!", he says into his radio, heading straight over towards Hedgecock with Starkweather by his side. "We've had severe casualties & an officer down on Beaubien Street at the Renaissance Center! Send for medivac chopper immediately!"

"_Copy! Medivac chopper is now en route!_", was the immediate response. Manson silently prayed in good faith for the Medivacs: he mostly takes back what he once said about their late arrival at the time when they were almost an hour late to rescue officer Frederickson after his brutal run-in with crime kingpin Clarence J. Boddicker, who blasted him to death & leaving him barely alive.

Mostly, because Frederickson still didn't make it despite their efforts.

And even though he had somewhat mixed feelings about Hedgecock, mainly due to the fact that he & his SWAT team nearly destroyed Murphy under Dick Jones' orders, he still prayed for the man's well-being regardless.

So did Starkweather himself.

"Jesus _Christ_, Murphy! What do we _do?_", Minnie-May asked worriedly, observing the slaughter & bodies. "Even a full squadron with automatic weapons can't bring your evil twin down, & most of our manpower is lying on the ground!"

"I agree, Minnie-May! This has to stop!", RoboCop said, turning to the remaining officers. "All of you, fall back! Manson, you & Starkweather get Lieutenant Hedgecock out to the curb where the medivac can see you better! We'll cover you!"

"Got it!", Manson & Starkweather said together. Getting both ends of Hedgecock - feet & upper half - the two officers carry the wounded lueitenant up to the corner on East Jefferson to be easier spotted by the oncoming medivac. The other three surviving officers also comply with his orders, wishing them the best of luck.

_Thank you. We will need it_, thought Murphy as only he, Rally & Minnie-May were left. The cyborg cop turns back to his twin, aiming his Auto-9 as Rally stands beside him with her 12-Gauge as Minnie-May stays behind Murphy with a live grenade in her hand.

"Now…it is only us four left, renegade!", Murphy says.

"Good! That's just how I _want _it!", the renegade said, raising his gun arm up at the U.S. Post Office building of the Renaissance Center. Robocop & Rally look to where he aims at, & get a dreaded feeling in the pit of their stomachs.

"I can see an ample amount of people still within the vicinity of that building & the one across the street!", the impostor went on. "Even from where I stand, I can hit a person with one round between the eyes! So tell me…how much death - innocent death - can your conscience bare to stand?!"

Murphy & Rally turn back to him in disgust.

"You cold-blooded, heartless _fuck!_ Leave those people _out _of this!", Rally spat.

"You _wouldn't…!_", Murphy started to say.

"You _know _I will! Now _hang them up! Both _of you!", the renegade ordered.

After a moment, RoboCop holsters his gun in his right leg. Once he does, Rally sighs a heavy sigh with a scowl & tosses her shotgun towards the patrol cars behind her, out of reach.

"And don't _you _get any ideas of tossing that grenade at me I know you have, Minnie-May Hopkins!", the renegade threatened. "The consequences of your actions apply to you as well!"

"Yeah yeah, I _get it_, shithead!", Minnie-May barked, putting her grenade back in her coat. "Now how about you _stop _threatening innocent lives & _start _telling us what the fuck it is you _want?!_"

"Yes! What _do _you want, impostor?", Murphy demanded.

"'Impostor'? _'Impostor'?!_", the rogue unit snapped. "You clearly have got some _nerve _in calling me that! It is _you _who should be the impostor, _not _me!"

"What do you mean?"

"It's _me _who should be carrying your title! I was _supposed _to be 'Top Dog' in all Detroit until _you _came upon the scene & _stole everything _from me! They say that _I_ was a _mistake_, of all things - a _past _mistake! It's _you _who is the _real _mistake…officer! Where _you _reign right now is where _I _should be, & I will do _anything _necessary to claim what is rightfully mine!"

"By killing felons, officers & threatening the lives of innocent people?! Whatever it is you want, impostor, you shall _never _get it _now!_"

"Don't be too sure!"

"Whoa, _hold on!_ _Time out_ here for a sec!", Rally butts in. "Maybe I can understand why you may have a beef with _him_, but why with Minnie-May & myself, dickhead?!", Rally barked.

"Yeah, asshole!", Minnie-May snapped, getting out from behind Robocop & up to Rally's side. "What the fuck did _we _ever do to _you _that made you try & _kill _us back in Chicago?! We don't even know just who the hell you _are _beneath that metal shell!"

"Why am I not surprised about _that_, little girl?", the renegade said. "I doubt you & Rally Vincent remember _anyone _whose lives you take or _ruin _with your guns & bombs!"

Rally & Minnie-May stare at each other in confusion before facing their metal foe again.

"Whose lives we…do we _know _you somehow?", Rally asks.

"Here's a _hint_, bitch: Evanston, Ridge Avenue!", the rogue unit says. "Once you give some thought on _that_, _then _you'll understand! Better yet…why don't you two do so while you're both resting in your _graves?_"

Slowly but surely, the renegade unit lowers his gun arm to aim it at the two Gunsmith Cats. Murphy considered going for his gun but quickly dismissed the idea: his evil double has the same kind of reflexes that he has, & any sign of drawing his weapon might urge him to re-aim his gun at the people inside the two towers on both sides of the streets and shoot/kill them in cold blood without another thought. And as good as _they _are, Rally & Minnie-May couldn't begin to match him move-for-move without taking a bullet.

For all his near-invincibility, Murphy could do nothing to help his two friends as the Auto-9 comes closer for the kill shots.

Before his gun can be fully aimed, an armored U5000 crashes its way through the battered police cruisers off East Jefferson & races down Beaubien, heading straight for the renegade at top speed. All four turn to the newcomer & see two officers in the cockpit of this monster car from Hong Kong.

"_Roy!_", said Rally & Minnie-May happily as their friend was at the wheel of the vehicle with Sergeant Reed in the passenger seat.

"Perfect timing!", Murphy said.

Forcing his attention now on the vehicle heading his way, the renegade opens fire at Reed & Roy with his gun. Both officers duck behind the dash board as the rogue unit continues firing until the U5000 rams him headlong with a loud clang & takes him for a short ride until they hit the front of a parked semi in the middle between the U.S. Post Office & Consulate General of Japan buildings. The crash was loud & did noticeable damage to the semi, denting its front bumper.

"Ha! Take _that_, you cop-killing fake!", Roy spat to the intruder.

"Good shot, Roy! Let's give him _another_ hit!", Reed says.

"Be _glad _to!", Roy complied, backing the vehicle up. Getting to a distance of twenty feet, they can see damage to the renegade in his chest & legs, being badly dented in spots. Stepping on the gas again, the U5000 gets set to ram a second time in a move that might put the rogue unit out of commission.

But damaged doesn't mean it has no more fight left: when they get within ten feet of him, the renegade dives to the left, catching Roy & Reed off-guard. With no time to put on the brakes, they come crashing headlong into the semi & jar themselves bad enough to make their own teeth rattle. If not for their seat belts, they'd both be flying straight into the windshield & possibly kill themselves from the broken glass.

Getting up on his feet, the renegade walks to the right-side window & aims his gun at the stunned officers, both of whom stare down the barrel.

"Big mistake, officers! And your _last!_", he says.

_BLAM!_

A blast from Murphy's own weapon hits the impostor in the side, making him turn to see RoboCop heading his way.

"It ends _now_, impostor!", Murphy says, firing his gun more times.

"I agree!", the renegade says, holstering his gun in his right leg. Murphy does the same with his own Auto-9 & continues his march towards his evil twin. When he gets in range, the two cyborgs clash with metal fists that make a direct hit to the heads. Those were immediately followed by a series of kicks, knees, elbows & even head-butts that clang like a pair of hammers going at it, echoing the area. Putting a bit of distance between them, the renegade makes a running charge at Murphy & tackles him like a football linebacker, sending him straight into the side of an empty parked car with the force of a charging rhino. Murphy gets pinned partially as the car begins folding itself around him as metal & glass shower & consume him on both sides. His evil twin keeps pushing him into the car, driving him deeper into it. His scanners display a damage report of 20% & dropping but at a snail's pace. To avoid any heavy damage, Murphy lands a left jab at the rogue's chin before driving a right foot into his enemy's stomach, a move that knocks him back onto the street & slides him over towards Roy & Reed, both of whom have remained within the confines of the U5000 in case the renegade decided to use them for target practice.

Using his strength, Murphy pushes the edges of the car away to free himself in the time his devilish double was down for the count. Rushing over as fast as he can, Murphy reaches down & grabs his twin by the back of his neck.

"You are under arrest!", he tells him, lifting him to his feet.

"Like _hell _I am!", the renegade says, unimpressed. Like a judo expert might perform, the rogue unit takes Murphy by _his _neck & between his legs & lifts him up over his head just before throwing him right into the U5000's windshield…where Roy & Reed watch with fright!

"_SHIT!_", they bellow, ducking down just as Murphy gets rammed into the glass, shattering the inside with broken shards. Everything happened in one swift maneuver, & had Roy & Reed been one second slower, they'd be painting the interior with their blood & brains instead of just glass. Thankfully, Murphy positioned himself so he _wouldn't _crush the officers where they sat, making the glass the only casualty in this scenario.

"Are you two all right, Sergeant Reed? Detective Coleman?", he asks, being halfway stuck in the cockpit with his legs & ass sticking out.

"We'll manage, Murphy…but it _is _kinda crowded in here!", Reed says, crouched down in his seat.

"Yeah, big guy! How about giving us some elbow room before we suffocate in here?", Roy asked in the same position.

"No problem. One moment, please", Murphy says, using his right arm to pry the roof of the cockpit open like a tin can & pushing it skywards. Once up, the cyborg cop removes himself from the front to allow the two officers a bit of breathing space.

"_That's _better! Thanks, Murph!", Reed says, observing the scene. "Where'd the hell your evil twin go?"

"And where's Rally & Minnie-May?", Roy added, not seeing his two friends anywhere.

Murphy does a quick scan for all of them, & in seconds, pinpoints their locations.

"Stay here", he orders Roy & Reed as he climbs down from the hood & heads right for the large multi-leveled parking lot.

_Four minutes later:_

After throwing Murphy into the U5000's windshield, the renegade made his way towards the six-level parking lot next to the Consulate General of Japan building on Franklin Street. Even as Rally & Minnie-May snuck by during their scuffle, he was still able to keep tabs on them from his on-board scanners, tracking them all the way up to the fifth level right underneath the top floor/roof. Auto-9 in hand, the rogue unit made it halfway around the perimeter of parked automobiles before he hears a noise that makes him turn to the right, taking a step or two. He stares down a row of cars parked on both sides of him…along with something else.

Using his scanners, the renegade spots a thin wire running across in the middle of two cars, each one hooked up to a small glob of plastique with a timer on the front & rear bumpers.

The rogue unit smirks, aiming his gun…and shoots a single round.

_BOOM!_

His one shot set off an explosion that would've possibly blown him into spare parts, were he standing in the center of the row. Both cars the bombs were attached to get blasted into a flaming heap as debris skitter across the asphalt & black smoke reach the ceiling which was amazingly undamaged.

"Nice try, Minnie-May Hopkins!", the blue RoboCop said. "But you're going to have to do better than _that _to nail _me!_"

From behind the cloud of smoke all the way down at the opposite end, Minnie-May herself calmly walks into view of the rogue unit & turns to face him, who draws a bead on her forehead & ready to shoot.

"Oh, don't worry, tin man! I already _have!_", she tells him, holding up a small device & presses the button on it with a smirk of her own. A second later, a steady beeping noise erupts from behind a metal sign attached to a concrete pylon support on the unit's right-hand side. He turns to have his scanners reveal a hidden wad of plastique wired to a remote detonator in which Hopkins has just activated!

This nasty little surprise detonates with another powerful blast, giving the renegade no time to react. The blast sends him soaring backwards into the opposite pylon, crashing into it & taking a chunk of concrete with it before sagging to the ground. His vision starting to roll like a television set on the fritz, his readouts become sufficient with damage:

**Damage to unit: 30%**

**Auxiliary power activated.**

In spite of the damage done, the renegade still manages to get up & raise his gun at his attacker. A loud bang echoes the level & his Auto-9 becomes blown apart by a powerful force. His vision becoming clearer but still rolling a bit, he finds Rally Vincent standing alongside her partner with a monster of a gun in her hands.

"Your vision's probably still fucked up after that blast, so _I'll_ tell you what just happened to your little peashooter!", Rally explains. "In my hands is a Desert Eagle 50 AE Caliber, the _biggest _auto in the _world! _With the rounds in _this _baby, one can stop a patrol car like it was a goddamn _Tonka toy!_ _Observe_, asshole!"

Aiming her gun again, Rally fires another deafening round which strikes the renegade square into his chest plate on the left, leaving a sizable hole that sparks & sputters. His vision now rolling in a horizontal as well as a vertical manner with electric snow forming, the renegade knew he was in trouble even without any readouts, & unless he makes a hasty retreat, his goal of getting what he wants will come crashing down on him sooner that he'd like it to.

Getting his self-repair systems working, the renegade cyborg devises a means of escape.

Rally doesn't give him a chance to gather his wits: she fires another loud round from her Desert Eagle 50 AE, but this time the rogue unit ducks out of its path & the round hits only the engine of a parked car; whoever belongs to this car won't be starting it up anytime soon.

Then the renegade does something neither Gunsmith Cat was expecting: from his left leg, he draws a _second_ Auto-9 & begins firing it at Rally & Minnie-May, hitting the former's Desert Eagle & knocking it out of her hands with pinpoint accuracy.

"Didn't expect _that_…_did _you, ladies?", he says with a slight grin.

"But _I _did!", said RoboCop, making his way to the fifth level & firing his own gun at his double. Normally, the renegade would stand & fight, but due to the damage Rally's Desert Eagle 50 AE caused him before, his systems may not be up to another brawl at this moment.

He needs to retreat, & needs to do so now.

Spotting a black Honda GL 1000 motorcycle, the renegade heads over to it, ignoring the continuous barrage of bullets from RoboCop's gun & hops on the seat. Using the stiletto from his right hand, he drives it into the ignition & hotwires it. As he does, his scanners indicate a chopper heading his way.

_Perfect!_, he thought. Bringing the Honda to roaring life, he speeds off & heads for the ramp that leads to the roof of the lot even as RoboCop keeps firing on his twin. The roaring of the copter blades was louder now, & the renegade can see it overhead at a distance of eighty feet away & getting closer. A black MH-6 Little Bird chopper with two pilots - a male & female - makes its approach with its left side door slid open to reveal an officer in body armor holding an AR-15 Assault Rifle in his hands. Coming in from over the ground-level parking lot between Franklin & Atwater Streets, the chopper prepares to attack.

"There he is, in plain sight!", the gunman said. "Just like the boys described him!"

"That's him, all right! Let's get in closer so we can nail him!", the male pilot said.

The pilots zoom in closer & close the gap between them & the renegade RoboCop. When they get to a distance of thirty feet from the multi-level parking lot, the pilots give the gunman the okay.

"Take him down!", the male pilot said. A second later, the gunman lets loose with swift & powerful rounds from his AR-15. The renegade was on the move before the shooting even began, & all the bullets were hitting was the concrete floor of the lot, creating decent-sized holes. Going at one end of the lot, the rogue unit revved his engine & raced across the top at top speed, only getting struck by the hot rounds a few times.

When he reaches the edge of the roof, the renegade does something that stuns everyone on the MH-6 chopper.

He runs his bike right off the ledge!

Getting a decent jump from his bike, the renegade then leaps from the bike itself & propels himself even further up to the helicopter as the bike plummets towards street level & lands with a crash, destroying it. With his momentum, the rogue unit grabs the strut of the chopper with both hands & jerking the whirlybird some.

"Jesus Christ! Get him off…_quick!_", the male pilot said frantically. Before the gunman can carry out his orders, the renegade grabs the rifle by the muzzle & throws it out with his right arm, taking the gunman with it who screams all the way down befor splattering his head like a ripe fruit onto the parking lot's roof. The renegade now opens the left-side door & stabs the male pilot with his stiletto in the stomach before withdrawing it & throwing him out, falling & hitting the ground in silence except for the sickening thud he makes. Pulling himself up, he gets into the vacant pilot seat & takes the stick, gaining some altitude.

"Get out of the helicopter! Now!", he tells the female without looking at her.

"How the hell _can _I? We're over sixty feet off the ground!", the female says, clearly scared & nervous.

This time he _does _look at her.

"Not my problem!", he says. In the blink of an eye, the renegade shoves a right fist into her face, crushing it & getting bloody ichor on his fist, arm, face & part of his chest. The force of the blow sends the now-dead female pilot crashing out the right-side door where she falls like a stone to the pavement like her fellow pilot did - silently & sickenly when she hit.

Watching the horror from the roof, RoboCop, Rally & Minnie-May grit their teeth in utter anger as Rally now draws her CZ-75 - her favorite handgun - out of its holster & draws a bead on the tail rotor. Even at this distance, she should have no problem clipping it with only a few well-placed shots.

But Murphy intervenes.

"No, Rally!", he says, placing his hand on her gun & pushing it down with just enough force to give her the message. "Even if you _do _manage to get the tail, he'll spin out of control & crash down to the street where people can be hurt or even killed. We can't risk that."

"But we _also _can't let him _go_, Murphy!", said Minnie-May. "He's far too dangerous for us to - even for you!"

"You're right, Minnie-May", Murphy replied as his double flies off, heading northeast. "But being in the air gives him a sense of security. Any attempt to take him down now will have dire consequences. For now, we _have_ to let him go."

Murphy begins sending Sergeant Reed & Detective Coleman the information through his built-in communications.

Down on street level, Reed & Roy receive Murphy's transmission.

"Got it, Murphy! Thanks for the update, disturbing as it was!", Roy said.

"Same here! We'll send out an A.P.B. on that chopper immediately!", Reed said. "Meet us down here as soon as you can!"

Both men cease broadcasts on their radios. Before they can say anything, Manson runs up to them.

"Manson, how's Hedgecock doing?", Reed asks.

"We've asked for a chopper to take him over to Henry Ford Hospital!", Manson replied. "It should be arriving any moment now! We've also called for a coroner's van for our dead!"

Reed nodded as Roy breathed a collective sigh of relief & sorrow.

"It's not over yet is it, Sarge?", Manson asks him but it was Roy Coleman who answered.

"No, son. It isn't."

A pair of blades different from the one now piloted by Murphy's evil twin approach East Jefferson Street, one belonging to a B3 Helicopter. Landing in the center of the intersection, medics rush in to take the wounded body of Lieutenant Hedgecock onto a stretcher & back to the chopper, taking off again almost as suddenly as it landed.

With many officers dead & another wounded who's being sent to the hospital, this fight between two cyborg policemen was not over yet.

Not by a long shot.

**CHAPTER VI**

On television, the face of a man half-smiling fills the screen.

"Don't let _this_…happen to _you!_", he says, punctuating his last word with his finger pointed right at the viewers.

The scene cuts to that of a man sniffing cocaine on the living room table of his apartment building, snorting it up through a straw before the front door busts open & cops in uniform rush in & begin hitting & stomping the man with their batons, fists & feet, shouting obscenities at him as the scene now cuts to a man snorting powder of different colors in separate piles & an off-camera announcer speaks.

"_Introducing 'Candy Coke'…cocaine that's actually candy! Choose between a variety of several delicious flavors: Strawberry! Vanilla! Grape! Orange…even chocolate! So many kinds, you'll want to snort them all!_"

During the announcement, the man snorts the various kinds of powder in that order. At the end of the announcements, the man lifts his head up from the table with his nose all covered in different colored powder with a huge grin on his face, his eyes rolling up skyward as he slowly falls backwards & hits the floor with a thud as his feet rise up in place of his face which happens as the announcer makes his final statements.

"'_Candy Coke'! A brand-new & legal way to snort blow! Coming soon to your local candy store! Ask for flavor availability! Not responsible for accidental overdose!_"

The television commercial now cuts back to 'Media Break' & show Eurasian Casey Wong & bubble-blonde Jess Perkins as the former begins speaking with an inset video shot of armed guards at a power plant.

"Welcome back. I'm Casey Wong with Jess Perkins. Near Harrisburg Pennsylvania, local law enforcement & the national guard were on hand to arrest a violent group of nuclear fanatics who sought to cause a repeated incident in our nation's history when they attempted to destroy one of the cooling towers to release radioactive steam & contaminate the surrounding area. One of the protestors claims it was to send a strong message to the nation about the high risks of using nuclear energy, thus demanding action be taken to ban the highly dangerous resource & use an alternative form of sustenance for the country. But thanks to the quick & decisive action of local authorities & the national guard, a sordid moment in America's history has been averted. Now back to you, Jess."

"Thank you, Casey", Jess says as an inset photo of Robocop & his blue-metal twin appear on the wall behind her. "'Will the _real _RoboCop _please _stand up'? _That's _what the people of all Detroit has been asking since the two metal men were involved in a high-speed chase that began on Lynch Road near Hamtramck & ended up in a violent standoff at the Renaissance Center in Downtown Detroit, leaving many officers dead & wounded. One of the law enforcement robots escaped in a copter after hijacking it & killing its three occupants, last seen heading northeast. The chopper was found later in the day, but no sign of the murderous unit was found. As local law enforcement step up in their search for this renegade, Sergeant John Reed of Metro West had this to say."

The screen now shows Reed speaking to an off-camera reporter with a mike in his face.

"We're not sure where he is at this time, let alone the identity of this rogue unit", Reed says. "But we will spare _no _resource in locating this impostor & shut him down! Too many of our fellow public servants have fallen victim to this mechanical monster, & now he's going to _answer_ for it!"

The screen returns to Jess as she finishes up her report.

"That was the statement made earlier today after the ferocious battle downtown. As the city prepares for another visit by the renegade RoboCop, no one is sure just what to expect. But one thing _is _certain: aside from the infamous battle between Robocop & his alleged 'sequel', this could very well be the most controversial struggle between two officers probably not seen since the incident between Sergeant Richard Mankewich & Major Aaron J. Campbell from down in Orange County, Florida back on April 9th, 1997."

From a remote in Reed's hands, he turns the television off & sets it down on the desk at the conference room of the Metro West station.

"And considering what's going on right now, _that _shit was small potatoes in comparison", Roy Coleman said.

"More or less, Detective", said Reed, wiping his brow. "In spite of being convicted for only two misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest without violence, Major Campbell had it _easy_."

"Which is more than you can say for _us!_", Manson said. "We've got a Lieutenant from the SWAT team in the hospital, several officers, an unlucky motorist & the mother of a young child all going to the goddamn _morgue!_"

"And all caused by a fucking machine who thinks _he's_ God Almighty!", Starkweather adds angrily. "Without even a _clue _as to who he is…or _was_, for that matter!"

"That was the case up until _now_, Starkweather!", Marie Lazarus says, arriving in the room with Becky Farrah & Murphy by her side. "We're finally able to shed some _light _on the subject!"

Murmurs of relief & nods of approval fills the room, eliciting some smiles along the way.

That also went for Rally & Minnie-May.

"All right, _Becky!_", Minnie-May says with pride. "We _knew _you & Marie could do it!"

"Well, actually, May…we _did _have a little bit of help", Becky said, her face a little flushed.

"What _kind?_", asked Rally.

"_This _kind, Rally", Marie said as a new face walks into the conference room. It was a black man in a dark business suit with a very short hairline & a pair of glasses over his eyes. One look was all that was needed for everyone in the room to know who it was, & some, if not most, were not too happy about his showing up.

"Johnson?!", Manson & Starkweather said in a not-so-pleasant way. A chorus of angry protests from most people in the room erupted, not pleased with having anyone from their former employer OCP setting foot in their station, dead _or _alive. Sergeant Reed, Roy Coleman, Marie Lazarus & even RoboCop himself work to get the situation under control.

But even _that _didn't help, & the irate ramblings continued.

Until a pair of shots fired up at the ceiling from Rally Vincent's CZ-75 caught everyone's attention, making them stop their tirade & turning towards her.

"That's _enough _of this shit, people!", she said, holstering her weapon. "Despite how most of you may still be feeling about OCP & any of their one-time employees, you all need to settle the _fuck _down, _put_ the past aside & concentrate _on_ the matter at hand before you all forget that a renegade & murderous RoboCop is _out _there somewhere that _needs_ to be _stopped!_"

"Rally's right!", Minnie-May adds. "We confess that _we _also weren't too fond of Johnson when he was Paxton Silverman's employee during the ED-209 scenario back home only a month ago, but after helping us shut that madman down, we _owed _it to him! And so do _you_…don't forget that Marie here would've _died _then had it not been for Johnson, so whatever unpleasant thoughts & feelings you _have _for him right now…_brush_ that shit away & _get over it!_"

Everyone in the room froze as if they were encased in ice, staring at the two Gunsmith Cats with disbelief. For two individuals so young, they can make some pretty strong statements should the need arise, & this scenario was no exception. Even the most hardened of officers in the room like Reed, Manson & Starkweather were all but speechless at the girls' stone-like announcement.

For Roy Coleman & Becky Farrah, it was nothing new, as they'd seen them both behave in this manner in the past but are no less impressed by it when they do.

Only Murphy himself was unperturbed by Rally & Minnie-May's sudden tirade, possibly because he'd seen Reed & others like him perform in the same way & gotten used to it, be it at Metro South _or _here at Metro West.

And being mostly metal didn't hurt either!

"They got quite the steel nerves, don't they, Detective?", Reed whispered to Roy.

"You have _no _idea, Sergeant", Roy whispered back with a smile.

"Everyone, please listen", Becky addresses the crowd. "Mr. Johnson is here at Metro West because Marie & I _asked _him to be here. You see, as frantically as we searched for & tried to get access on the vital information of this rogue unit out there, we weren't able to crack it despite our hacking skills. Therefore, we contacted Johnson to see if _he _could do what _we _couldn't…& the man struck gold!"

"You _were _able to crack the code when these two were unable to?", Starkweather asked the one-time OCP exec.

Johnson nodded.

"Dr. Lazarus was about to explain the reason as to _why _she asked me to get into long-lost OCP files about the renegade RoboCop, when I was suddenly _attacked _by it at my new place of business", he explains. "Narrowly escaping, I headed down here & opened the files in which Dr. Lazarus & Miss Farrah couldn't gain any access to."

A couple of moments of silence ensues as everyone in the room allowed the information to sink in. When they did, Manson breaks the silence.

"All right, Johnson. Considering the fact that you once _did _save Dr. Lazarus' life, _and _that you risked life & limb to get us the info we desperately need to get our hands on, all of us here will give you the benefit of the doubt."

Most of the officers nodded, followed by Johnson.

"I can definitely live with that, Officer", he said.

"So tell us, Johnson…what _did _you, Marie & Becky here discover about this renegade?", Roy asked.

"All the info I dug up has been stored within Murphy's memory, as per his request", says Johnson, patting RoboCop slightly in the back. "But before I ask him to reveal what he's about to show you all, I should point out a very crucial matter. This renegade you folks encountered today was _supposed_ to have been the _original _RoboCop…_before _Alex Murphy!"

Gasps & looks of utter shock erupted on just about every face in the room of this startling revelation. Even Sergeant Reed & Detective Coleman was astounded by this news, & these are two hardened officers who don't _get _astounded or stunned that easily.

Then again, when you're dealing with cyborgs, life can throw you an unexpected curve ball.

"You mean to say _that _maniacal bucket of bolts is supposed to be out patrolling the streets rather than Murphy here? _No way!_ That bullshit is _bogus!_", Rally said.

"Rally, _I _don't want to believe it any more than you or anyone else in this room", Becky said. "But the info Johnson has coughed up for us is _more _than accurate."

"Indeed it is, & I do believe that now would be a good time to show you what ghosts have resurfaced from the OCP vaults", Johnson says, turning to RoboCop. "If you would be so kind, Murphy…"

"Of course", Murphy said, heading over to the console. "Here is what Johnson has dug up for us, everyone. Be warned - there _will _be some very violent images."

Drawing his stiletto from his right hand, Murphy drives it into a port.

A second later, an old video featuring a laboratory with the renegade unit resting upon a metal table gets shown on the monitors of the conference room. Several female techs in white lab coats & men in business suits stand around & near the unit & at consoles with various equipment occupying their spaces. The females were unknown, but the group _did _recognize some of the men in the room: Dr. Roosevelt, Shyster Holzgang, Bob Morton & of course Johnson himself were all present & accounted for. Going over the readouts with his staff, Bob Morton addresses them with a glitter of hope in his eyes.

"My fellow executives", Bob starts to say. "We've all worked long & hard for this day to finally arrive, & today is that day! Using state-of-the-art technology - and generous funding by yours truly…" The crowd chuckles at Morton's little joke before he goes on. "…what we have here is a product designed to assist the Detroit Police Departments in the growing number of crime figures which are, as you may have heard, spiraling way out of control & into near-suicidal heights & help to bring it down to a more manageable level. Equipped with an onboard computer & accurate targeting abilities with nearly inhuman reflexes, it gives me the greatest pleasure to present to you…RoboCop!"

A nod to a female tech gives her the cue to press a switch, which she does. A moment later, the blue, black & white RoboCop lifts itself up from the table & onto the concrete floor. A round of applause erupts from Bob Morton & his staff. The RoboCop looks around at his new surroundings as the applause ceases & the staff gather around their new 'creation'.

"Welcome, Crime Prevention Unit 001!", Bob Morton said.

"Where…am I?', the unit asked.

"You're in a lab…at Omni Consumer Products."

"_Who_…am I?"

"You're RoboCop."

The unit was somehow confused, & moves his head around slightly to prove his point.

"Robo…Cop?", he said, staring at its hands as if seeing them for the first time & flexing his white fingers. Looking around the room, he walks over towards a sheet that acts something like a mirror & catches his reflection in it, staring at it long & hard.

"_What _the hell is wrong with him? Why is he acting like this?", Morton asks in a not too pleased way to a fellow male lab tech.

"I-I don't _know_, Mr. Morton", he replied in a nervous tone. "I-It's probably a malfunction of some kind, albeit a slight one."

"_Fix _it. Now."

"Y-Yessir."

The male tech rushes towards the unit, happy to get away from his angry boss. When he gets to the unit, it has turned away from his reflection & faces the male tech, who stops just one foot from him.

"Doctor…is this what I am now?", the unit asked, spreading his arms slightly.

"Y-Yes, you're RoboCop", the tech says, taking the unit by one arm & tries to take him back to the table.

'RoboCop' wouldn't budge.

"Am I a machine?", it asks.

"Yes, that's what you are", said the tech. "A machine. Nothing more."

"Who did this to me?"

"We did. We all did."

The unit took a good look at Bob Morton & everyone else in the room, placing their faces in his memory.

"I see", he says, bowing its head slightly. What came next was unexpected & horrifying: a white metal fist came flying at the technician's face. The powerful blow shatters the man's head like it was a birthday cake getting hit by a baseball bat, spraying bloody gore everywhere. The female technicians scream in horror as the now-headless body falls to the floor. From his right hand, a sharp stiletto extends from the knuckles & slices the throat of one of the screaming female techs, her screams now turned to gurgling as blood sprays from her mouth & slit in her neck. She sinks to the floor as the other females get out of his way, screaming in terror.

The unit now turns to Roosevelt, Holzgang, Johnson & Morton & grits his teeth.

"_You all did this to me! WHY?!_", he hollered, raising his fist at the nearest man - Morton - and brings it down swift & hard. Bob Morton barely manages to avoid sharing the same fate of his unfortunate employees, hitting the table it rested on & denting the end of it with a loud clang. Scrambling to his feet, Morton backs away as the unit pursues him frantically, swinging at his 'father' & hitting only equipment, damaging them. Several male techs jump on the unit's back to try & subdue him, but Morton shouts at them 'No!'.

It was too little, too late: with almost no effort, the unit shrugs them off his back like they were bothersome ticks. One got his head caved in by a fist, another got his neck broken by a simple twist, the sound echoing the room. One tech got a stiletto in the gut & tossed like a sack of garbage, & the last one had his chest crushed by a large blue metal foot that splattered all over the floor.

The unit turned back to Morton, who was joined by a frightened Johnson & Roosevelt.

"_Jesus Christ! Somebody turn this fucking thing OFF!_", Morton screamed as the unit was nearly on top of them when he spots Holzgang by the console that gave him life. The unit spots him & heads towards the poker-faced OCP exec, who was temporarily frozen by fear of their creation.

"_Shyster! Turn it off! NOW!_", Morton screamed, giving Holzgang the push to snap out of his paralysis & push the button, the same one that activated the unit.

Now it shuts him down, only a foot away from the stunned Shyster Holzgang.

Arms hang to the side & the legs give way as if too weak to support the main body & it collapses to the floor on its back with another loud clang. Shyster, Johnson, Roosevelt, Morton & all the other survivors breathe a collective sigh of relief, the females still sobbing over those who were brutally killed. The surviving male technicians assist in helping the ladies to their feet & out of the lab, leaving the four OCP execs alone with the defunct RoboCop lying inert on the floor.

"Now I guess we all know how Dr. Frankenstein must've felt", Roosevelt said without any humor to his joke.

"I doubt even _he _had _this_ much trouble when _his _creation turned on him!", Holzgang adds.

"Well Bob…where do we go from here?", asked Johnson.

"We'll give the girls a few days to help them get over this", Morton said. "They need it."

"And after that?"

"Simple. We start again. But first…I want this place cleaned up & in top shape like it was before all hell broke loose. Take the bodies to the morgue, where we'll arrange funerals for each one. And finally…"

"Yes?"

"Somebody _please _find out _who's _responsible for finding me a fucking _defective _donor for _my_ creation!", Morton snapped, storming off. The other three got moving to perform their chores.

The video ended, & Murphy retracted his stiletto. The group stared in stunned silence after viewing the feed, their feelings of anger, sorrow, confusion & horror all mixed as one.

"Jesus, man! I've seen some really nasty shit before in my life as a cop, but _this _shit here takes the fucking _cake!_", Starkweather said.

"You speak for _all _of us, dude!", Manson adds. "I sometimes wonder as to why _Murphy _here didn't do the same thing when _he _was turned into a machine!" He turns to RoboCop. "No offense, Murphy."

"None taken, Manson", the cyborg cop said. "Sometimes even _I _wonder why I didn't go berserk as this renegade had."

"Let's just be _glad _you didn't, Murphy", said Roy. "But that's now what's important right now."

"You're right, Detective", Reed said, turning to Johnson. "Tell us, Johnson: _did _you find out who the donator was, & _who _donated it for Bob Morton's pet project?"

"Yes, to both your questions, Sergeant", Johnson replied, announcing the group. "The brain itself belonged to one Aaron Daniels. The man was neither a criminal nor a cop. Believe it or not, he was a high-ranking _Colonel _in the U.S. Army."

Another chorus of murmurs of shock & confusion which lasted until Rally spoke.

"Johnson, did Bob Morton _know _he was using the brain of a colonel for his first RoboCop project?", she asked.

"Yes, Miss Vincent. He did", was his reply.

"I'm surprised that he _still _went through with it, considering what happened", Minnie-May adds.

"You & me both, Miss Hopkins. I _tried _to tell Bob that using the brain of someone from the Army or _any _of the U.S. Armed Forces for his project would _not _be a good idea. But, if you knew Bob Morton as _I _did…he was way too ambitious to care, or even _listen_; he just went ahead with it, regardless of the consequences."

"And several of his staff paid the ultimate price for his tomfoolery", said Marie. "I guess that _would _be like Morton, goddamnit!"

"Mr. Johnson, there's something I wondered about all of this, _and _of what you said just now", Becky said.

"What would that be, Miss Farrah?", Johnson asked.

"Why _isn't _it a good idea to use the brain from the Armed Forces for a cyborg whose duty it is to patrol the streets like any other cop? I thought that, you know, protecting & serving the people was what they're all about."

It was RoboCop who answered for him.

"That is where the similarity between police & U.S. Forces soldiers end, Miss Farrah. You see, those in the latter are slated to protect the entire country from anything that might threaten it, whether it be on the mainland itself or from across the pond."

"Precisely, officer", Johnson steps in. "They're too concerned with protecting the country to worry about what's going on in their own backyard. _That's _what the _police _are for - _they _take care of their own neighborhoods & towns, while those in the Armed Forces handle enemies like those who caused the disaster in New York City & Washington D.C. on September 11th, 2001."

"And being stripped of his humanity, along with his duties as a colonel, it's no _wonder_ he went nuts once he found out what he was made into!", Roy said. "Who _was _the one that founded Colonel Daniels' brain for that renegade unit anyway?"

"A man by the name of Eric Smalls", Johnson said. "He was one of the top psychiatrists over at OCP. When we learned that _he _was the one who donated the brain, we went to his office & found him dead in his chair - his own brains blown out by a well-placed bullet in his forehead. The gun - a silencer - was in his right hand when we arrived. _What _he was thinking, be it the brain or the suicide itself, is anyone's guess. To this day, it's a mystery."

"At least _now _we know who & what we're dealing with in this renegade RoboCop", Reed says. "But it _still _doesn't explain as to why he's got such a mad-on for Rally & Minnie-May. I don't _get _it."

"Maybe the girls themselves can answer", Murphy says, turning to the two Gunsmith Cats. "Rally, Minnie-May…now that more light has been shone on the subject, can either of you tell us more about Colonel Aaron Daniels, since he seems to know you both? And what did he mean by 'Evanston, Ridge Avenue' before?"

Rally & Minnie-May were already lost in thought even before RoboCop stopped talking. Closing their eyes & concentrating, they remained silent for a while as they block out all other thoughts & sounds. Everyone remained quiet to make their progress easier.

It was Roy who spoke first.

"_Wait _a minute! _I've _got it now!", he said with all eyes facing him, including the two girls. "Rally! Minnie-May! Do you girls recall a _case _that happened in that area back home?"

The realization hit both Gunsmith Cats, & their eyes widen with recognition.

"I _do _recall it now, Roy!", Minnie-May said. "Rally & I were on the trail of a felon named Billy 'The Kid' Benson, someone who not only skipped on his bail but robbed several stores in Chicago, killing three people! It was one of our earliest cases - a case we tackled even _before _we took on the brother & sister felons Bonnie & Clyde! _You _remember now, don't you, Rally?"

"I certainly _do_, Minnie-May!", Rally replied. "_Now _it all comes back!"

"What exactly _happened _in this case that got Aaron Daniels involved in it, Rally?", Marie asked.

"Only this, Marie", Rally explains. "Minnie-May & I pursued Billy to a residence _on _Ridge Avenue in the area of Evanston, located in the outskirts of our hometown. Billy made his way in the house just before we got there, taking a woman & young girl hostage. He told us that he'd kill both of them if we didn't leave the area. After fifteen agonizing minutes of failed negotiations, I decided to make a move & put a stop to him before he can carry out his deadly threat. But just as I took two steps from my Cobra Mustang, we heard a trio of shots fired. Fearing for the hostage's safety, Minnie-May & I rushed inside the complex to find a horrible scene: both the hostages _and _Billy himself were shot dead & laying on the floor, a bullet in each of their heads."

"Did you two find the one who killed them?", asked Starkweather.

"No. It was a half-hour after midnight, & whoever shot them did so from a great distance away. Even _I _wouldn't have been able to catch him, had I started to pursue the shooter. Whoever it was, he was good. _Damn _good."

"What happened after that horrible shooting?", asked Manson.

"And were the woman & child identified?", asked Marie.

"The whole thing was taken to court", Minnie-May said. "As for the two hostages that got killed, get this: they were none other than Aaron Daniels' own wife & daughter. Elaine Daniels, aged 45, & Jasmine, who was no more than twelve years old. On the stand, Rally & I explained the whole story to the judge & jury from the pursuit right on down to the fatal shootings by the unknown assailant. It was only when forensics discovered that the bullets that killed Elaine & Jasmine did _not _match the ones from Rally's own gun, her CZ-75 she always carries around with her, that we were declared innocent of manslaughter in any degree."

"What kind of bullets _were_ used in that shooting that killed Daniels' family?", Reed asks.

"They were 7.62 x 52mm NATO shells, possibly from an M40AE Sniper Rifle with a built-in silencer", Rally says. "But that wasn't the end of the ordeal: at the trial, even though Minnie-May & I had been cleared of all murder charges, Aaron Daniels himself was there. When he listened to the judge's final call of innocent, Daniels went _berserk _with rage. He even so much as climbed over the pews to get at us, violently knocking aside who was in his way. It took over half a dozen bailiffs to restrain & remove Daniels from the court room, all the while shouting obscenities & threats to both of us as he was forcefully escorted out, sworing he'd get even with us if it was the last thing he ever did."

"But here's the _real _twist to it all", Minnie-May finishes. "Only one week after the trial, Colonel Aaron Daniels turns up on the Chicago P.D.'s list of missing persons, & after a month of searching half of the Windy City for him, they gave up the search & presume him to be dead."

"In a way, he _has _died, only to resurface recently as a literal killing machine", said Becky.

"And now, the past has come back to haunt both of _those _girls & _me_", Johnson said. "Shit - if only I'd _done _something back then to prevent Morton from _doing _what he'd done to Daniels, none of this would be happening right now!"

RoboCop turns to Johnson.

"Johnson", the cyborg cop says, standing in front of him. "We cannot change or alter what has been done. There's no sense on dwelling in sorrow of what was from the past. It's something I myself have learned, difficult as it was for me at times."

"Do you mean to say that you…_forgive _me for helping Bob Morton turn you into what you are now?", Johnson asks. Murphy stares at him for several moments before he gives the black man his answer.

"Yes. Yes I do, Johnson."

The former OCP executive was at a loss for words: long ago he helped Bob Morton make the ultimate law enforcement officer after Alex Murphy's body was blasted mercilessly to death by Clarence Boddicker & his men. Since then, he's sided with the Old Man in his attempted takeover of Detroit & then with the CEO, Mr. Morton Senior, & Urban Renewal leader Paul McDaggett during their mission to clear out Old Detroit to make room for Delta City. And only a month ago, he became one of Paxton Silverman's right-hand men when the ED-209s were being given a new life until the ugly truth came to light. Through it all, Johnson had been nothing short of a stone, having been with OCP for basically all his life until its collapse.

Now Alex Murphy - reborn as Robocop - says that he forgives him for his transformation into the 'Future of Law Enforcement'.

If a cyborg can do _that _to a man of flesh & blood, then maybe there's still hope in the world yet.

Johnson nods with a smile.

"All things considered, I'm _glad _OCP didn't eradicate Alex Murphy completely", he tells the cyborg officer, being the second person to say so. He nods in approval & gratitude.

"Thank you, Johnson", Murphy says, turning to Reed. "We should resume our search for my diabolical twin, Sergeant. He won't stay hidden for too long."

"I agree, Murphy", Reed said with a nod. He turns to Manson & Starkweather. "You two, I want you to head down to the armory & get the heavy artillery. This time, we _take down _that metal Frankenstein once & for all!"

"You got it, Sarge!", Manson said, already on his way.

"It's about fucking _time!_", Starkweather said, following his partner.

"Finally!", Rally & Minnie-May said.

"Sorry girls - _not _you two!", Reed said, stunning the two Gunsmith Cats. They turn to him with facial looks that match their feeling.

"_Excuse _us?!", Rally barked a little more harsh that she wanted.

"You both heard me! You girls are staying here!"

"_Fuck _that shit, mister!", Minnie-May snapped, her hands in fists. "Rally & I have as _much _right to find Colonel Daniels & put an end to him as any of _you _do! He _did _try to fucking _kill us_, in case you've forgotten!"

"And we're _not _going to let him get away with _doing _that!", Rally said, just as pissed. "It's _why _we came here to _your _neck of the woods in the _first _place!"

"I haven't forgotten a _thing_, girls! Believe me!", Reed pointed out. "But Colonel Daniels _did _swore vengeance upon the both of you, & now he has the _perfect body _to go & _do _just that!"

"We _beat _him before - _twice!_"

"But _barely!_", Roy cut in. "Sooner or later, he's going to succeed!"

"Roy?", Rally & Minnie-May say in surprise.

"Rally, Minnie-May…you two aren't dealing with a normal _human _suspect this time! Now you're up against one who's about as good as Murphy here is, & even _he _was barely able to hold his ground with him back there!"

"Are you all saying we can't _handle ourselves?!_", Minnie-May says. "We can do _perfectly _fine, thank you very much!"

"Even against _machines!_", Rally adds. "Hey, if we can hold our own against a bunch of killer ED-209s, then…"

"Ladies, those goddamn ED-209s couldn't make a simple little calculation of two plus two equaling five!", Reed cut in. "_This _machine still thinks like who he was, & is _just _as diabolical! I'm sorry to do this, really I am, but you two are confined within my station until further notice!"

"Confined?!", Minnie-May repeated. "And what if Daniels decides to _attack _this precinct just to _get _to us?!"

"And like you just said, 'Sergeant', he's _got _the perfect body to do such a thing!", Rally reminds him.

"She's got a _point_, Reed", Marie says. "Daniels got through a platoon of Hedgecock's men to get to & kill both Mr. Morton Senior _and _the Old Man themselves. Plus, he got inside a _prison_ of all places to exact his wrath on Holzgang & Kuzak. Do you honestly believe he won't try such an attempt _here _at Metro West to get to Rally & Minnie-May?"

"It _has _crossed my mind, Marie", Reed says. "And _that's _one of the reasons as to _why_ we're deploying the heavy artillery to better protect these two - _and _put Daniels in the scrap heap where he belongs."

"So you're using Minnie-May & myself as _bait _to lure Daniels here, is that it?", Rally says.

"There's every chance that he _will _attempt to get here to finish you two off, Rally", Roy answered. "Here, we'll have home field advantage, something we didn't have too much of out on the streets…against him. Please, ladies…will you _do _this for us? If not for Reed, then at least for _me?_"

"And even for Marie, Becky _and _Murphy?", Johnson adds.

Putting it like that, the two Gunsmith Cats give in.

"All right, Sergeant Reed, fine…_your _station, so _your _rules!", Minnie-May says. "But we warn you _right _now: if this _doesn't _work…"

"You're gonna _owe _us - _big _time!", Rally finishes as both girls walk away & disappear from sight, neither of them too happy. Marie & Becky sigh in sympathy with looks to match.

"I'm sure they know that you never _meant _to bum them out like that, Sergeant", Johnson said.

"You're probably right, Johnson", Reed said. "But it's for their own good, & right now it could be our best bet to find Daniels. Instead of having to _look _for him out _there_, let's have _him _come to _us_."

"Assuming that Daniels will even _know _that Rally & Minnie-May are here, Sergeant", said Becky.

"Oh, he will, Miss Farrah. Since he's basically the same as Murphy here, he'll discover it sooner or later. When he does, we'll have a _big-ass _surprise waiting for him! Let's go & prepare it, people!"

The remaining officers, Reed & Roy scuffle to set up their trap for the mechanical mouse they're bound to catch. Only Johnson, Marie & Becky remained in a mini group, watching the rest moving back & forth to make what could be their final stand against Murphy's diabolical double.

Each one had his/her own thoughts coursing through their heads.

"Do you really believe that Daniels _will _boldly attack this station to get to Rally & Minnie-May, Marie?", Becky asked.

"Without a doubt, Becky", she replied. "Revenge is a _very _strong emotion, & more often than not, it consumes a person entirely & makes him do things a sane person never would. All we need to do is be ready when he _does _make his 'grand entrance'."

"But don't forget, ladies…even if one sets a trap for their intended prey, the reverse is _also _true. Daniels might be setting one up for _us_", Johnson adds grimly.

Marie & Becky face each other but said nothing.

_In a darkened laboratory:_

The resurrected Colonel Aaron Daniels sat in a metal chair in total darkness, the chair & himself being the only light in the whole room. Several wires were attached to his head under his helmet, & a metal sheet was covering his left breastplate to cover up the sizable hole that Rally's Desert Eagle 50 AE handgun caused. Sitting with his thoughts, Daniels can still hear the voices in his head as it plays back - without the use of his systems - the event that changed him forever.

_Chicago court, years ago:_

The Judge: _In light of these facts, & due to the indisputable proof presented before me & the grand jury, I hereby state the defendants Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins…innocent of all charges in this matter. Case dismissed!_

No sooner did the judge pound his gavel than Daniels went in an uproar, rising from his seat.

Daniels: _Innocent?! INNOCENT?! My wife & daughter are DEAD because of those two! And you DARE to proclaim them innocent?!_

The Judge (pounding his gavel): _Colonel Aaron Daniels! You will calm yourself & SIT DOWN or be removed from this courtroom!_

Daniels: _If those two hadn't taken up bounty hunting, they'd still be ALIVE right now!_

The Judge: _Colonel Daniels, their profession is in no way their fault for the demise of your family! I feel for you on behalf of your wife & daughter, believe me, I do! But taking your anger out on Miss Vincent & Miss Hopkins is NOT going to get them back! Now…sit down & restrain yourself or you WILL be escorted out of this courtroom! I shall NOT tell you again!_

Daniels: _You won't HAVE to, your honor!_

Like a large cat, Daniels leaped from his spot & went over the pews, violently pushing who stood in his way. Making his way towards Rally & Minnie-May, the judge had called out for the court bailiffs who raced their way through the panicked crowd & grabbed Daniels by both his arms as the judge kept pounding his gavel & demanding order. Over half a dozen bailiffs were needed to subdue Daniels & roughly drag him out, struggling as he is.

Even as he was being escorted out, Daniels shouted at the two Gunsmith Cats.

Daniels: _This is far from over, Rally Vincent, Minnie-May Hopkins! You're both fucking dead, you hear me?! DEAD! I swear that I'll get even with you both if it's the fucking last thing I ever do! You HEAR me, you filthy motherfucking bitches?! I'LL GET YOU!_

A female voice snaps Daniels out to the here & now.

"So…Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins are still alive, I see", she says.

"Yes", Daniels said as the woman stayed in the shadows. "I _should _have made sure they burned up in that car in Chicago. They _are _more resourceful than we've heard."

"Yes, I believe we ought to give them that, my dear Colonel. But everybody's luck runs out, sooner or later." She pauses to examine the wound on his chest. "My my, that _is _a nasty hit you took in the chest there."

"A bit of damage caused by Rally's Desert Eagle 50 AE Caliber Magnum."

"One of the most powerful of all handguns, yes. No worries, my dear Colonel…we'll have you patched up at full capacity in no time."

"And then it will be time to claim what should rightfully be mine."

"That is correct, my good Colonel. As I once said about officer Murphy…", the woman says as she now steps casually into the light where Daniels is. She stood between five to six feet in height, wearing black pantyhose, shoes, skirt & top that was covered by a white lab coat. Her long dark hair, brown eyes & ruby red lips make her a woman any man would literally kill for. But behind her glamour hides a vicious mind & dangerous personality that make her a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"_He _is obsolete", she finishes.

Daniels turns in her direction.

"Hello, Dr. Faxx", he says.

"Greetings, my dear Aaron. Let's take a quick look under the hood, shall we?", Faxx says, carefully removing the plate across Daniels' wound & examing the damage. "Ooooh. _This _does not look good at all. Along with your outer frame, it's going to require several hours up to a full day of repair work, I fear. Do you think you can hold out for that long?"

"I've waited years to get what belongs to me. Another day won't matter."

"You are _definitely _a gentleman, Colonel", Faxx says with a smile. She then takes a quick glance at her watch. "As soon as our other associate gets here, we'll get started right away. Then, everything you deserve to have shall be yours."

"Thank you, Dr. Faxx", Daniels says. "For everything."

"Think nothing of it, Colonel. And please…call me Juliette. Besides, I _so _love a man in a uniform!"

Juliette smiles wickedly while hanging on his metal shoulder.

Daniels provides her with one of his own.

_In another laboratory:_

It was completely dark where Rally Vincent rested & slept, her eyes shut tighter than the vault where the Crown Jewels were sealed up at. Without warning, a light shone down upon both her face & jet black hair from above. It wasn't overly bright, but it was still more than enough to rouse up the young Gunsmith Cat from her slumber. Slowly but surely, Rally opened her eyes, squinting in the light as a soft moan escaped her mouth.

She heard a female voice speak despite the fact that her hearing was partly muffled.

"Look alive, she's up & running", she said.

_What the hell…?_, Rally thought, trying to get herself more alert. _'Up & running'? What does she mean by that? Who _is _this? And where the hell _am _I?_

Rally tried to shield her eyes from the light with her hand, but her arm wouldn't respond.

_What the fuck…?_, she thought. _I can't move my arm! I can't move or even feel _anything_ - not my arms, not my legs…nothing! My body feels like a metal weight! I can't move at all!_

Sounds of footsteps catch Rally's attention as her hearing becomes clearer but her vision is like a heavy fog. Still, she can see the silhouettes of the woman who spoke before along with the arrival of four more individuals. She tried to talk, but her vocal cords were just as dysfunctional as the rest of her body.

"What's the story?', one of them - a male - says.

"She's doing good, sir", the female said. "Her vital signs are excellent. It's just what we expected to come from her."

Suddenly, her foggy vision becomes crystal clear like camera lenses coming into focus, & she sees a female with glasses on & four men she's recognized when the lighting becomes better along with her vision.

_It _can't _be!_, Rally thought, her eyes going wide from disbelief. _Dr. Roosevelt?! Johnson?! Shyster Holzgang?! And…Bob Morton?! How can this _be_?! Morton & Holzgang are _dead_! How is it that they can be _here_?! Where the hell _is '_here' anyway?!_

"I agree", said Roosevelt. "Considering her stellar reputation, she's the perfect candidate."

"Right you are", said Johnson, coming in for a closer look at her. "And since she died in performance of her duties, we legally claimed her body to do with as we please."

_Johnson, what do you mean 'I died'?_, Rally thought, her nerves going on edge. _What are you saying? This is a joke, right? Because if it is, I ain't laughing!_

"Um…should we _really _be discussing all of this in front of her?", Holzgang says. "As you can all see, she _is _fully awake."

"Not to worry, Holzgang…we're going to blank her memory anyway", Roosevelt said.

"Hmmm, good point. Shall we put her back under again so that we can proceed then?"

"Not just yet", Morton said. "Let's let Rally assess her situation. I think she has the right to see _why _she's so important to us."

The female with glasses nods, & points to an unseen technician from behind Rally. After a second or two, the young Gunsmith felt life flowing through her as if somebody had pushed her 'on' switch. Sitting herself up, Rally had something of a major headache & raises her right hand.

But as she does, she notices a most disturbing scenario & stops dead in her tracks, her eyes going agape.

Her entire right hand & arm is mechanical!

Where flesh, bone, muscle & blood should be, there was a skeleton of metal & wires with fingers that flexed with a slight whir.

_Holy shit!_, Rally thought with dread. _Is this…is this my _hand _& my _arm_?! It _can't _be!_

Rally began to look at the rest of her. What she was now looking was no less dreadful: her entire body was the same as her arm, a skeleton of cold metal & loose wires from her neck right down to her steely toes. Not a shred of organic material was found from her 'new attire', & her eyes go their widest. She tried to scream in horror at her body's transformation, but her vocal chords didn't work. The only thing that _did _remain the same on her were her hair, face & eyes.

_Oh my fucking god!_, she thought on the verge of hysteria. _A robot! They've turned me into A FUCKING ROBOT!_

"Welcome to the future, Rally Vincent!", Bob Morton addresses her with a large grin as his cohorts grin with him.

"The future of bounty hunting!", all five say together.

Finally, Rally was able to speak, & her voice was as cold as the rest of her body.

"_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO!_", she screamed.

_Metro West:_

Rally woke up from her sleep with a sharp gasp & sat up on her cot, her breaths coming in rapid as she forced herself to slow down & take in air normally. Dressed in just her white panties & t-shirt, Rally's heart was palpitating madly & sweat was soaking her forehead even as the air conditioner worked through the warm sticky night. Wiping the sweat, she looked at the digital clock next to her which read 2:15 in the morning. She & Minnie-May were placed in a room with a bathroom inside of it on one of the upper floors of the precinct to stay for the night, not wanting to place them in a hotel where Daniels can get to them with ease.

But despite the fact that she & her partner were at a police station, Rally still didn't feel safe & secure for some reason.

She was about to head into the restroom when she heard moaning over to her left which became more intense with each passing second. Turning, she saw Minnie-May tossing her head from side to side, her body convulsing as if struck by a low electric current. Rally rushes over to her side.

"Minnie-May! Hey! Wake up!", Rally says softly but firmly, shaking her. As Rally did, the young blonde Gunsmith Cat wakes up with a gasp & sweat from her brow, her breaths coming in short rasps.

"Minnie-May, shhh! It's okay! It's okay!", Rally says gently, taking her in her arms like a mother would do & placing her head to her chest, caressing her head.

"I…I just had a nightmare, Rally", Minnie-May said softly, dressed up in her baby pink pajamas. "I dreamt I got caught in a bomb blast like an amateur rookie, & when I awakened…I found out that my arms & legs were…_metal!_"

Rally's eyes widened as her partner went on.

"And that's not even the _worst _of it, Rally: those four guys formerly from OCP - Johnson, Roosevelt, Holzgang & Bob Morton - they were all on hand in seeing my 'resurrection' in their lab! But most disturbing of all was that…that my darling Ken 'Taki' Takizawa was _assisting _Mr. Morton & his crew! When I saw his face smiling like the devil down at me, I…I…"

Minnie-May couldn't continue.

"You can join the club, Minnie-May", Rally said softly. "I myself just woke from a similar nightmare, so I feel your pain & sorrow."

Minnie-May backs away just enough to look Rally in the eye.

"You know, Rally", she begins to say. "If I hadn't already seen prosthetics for Bonnie's legs & right thumb & Gray's right hand, I'd've _never _believed that flesh & blood could merge with metal & electronics. But then there's Murphy, who gets blown away by a bunch of lowlifes & has his _brain _placed inside a robot body. His past, his family, everything gets taken away from him against his free will! He's not even a _corpse _anymore, Rally! And yet, he _still _goes on doing his duty like any other cop like it's no big deal!"

Tears swell up in her eyes, & unable to hold it in any longer, Minnie-May buries her face in Rally's chest.

"How does he _do _it, Rally?", she sobs, her voice muffled. "How the hell does Murphy go _on _like that, being more _machine_ than man?"

Minnie-May cries softly in Rally's chest, who soothes her kindly as she thinks about what she just said. Rally had no idea _what _to say: Murphy was a family man with a wife & son who worked at the very police station they're now in, with a tough but fair partner named Anne Lewis who stood by him like Batman & Robin, from DC Comics.

Then Clarence J. Boddicker & his blood-crazed crew took it all away, blowing him away with their guns for sheer, sick pleasure. Worse, OCP made him into an unfeeling robot with no memory of who he was - at first. When Murphy _did _discover who he used to be, he went on a personal rampage to track down each one of his killers & make them pay for what they did.

Murphy got more than justice. He got revenge.

He was right: cops sometimes _do _take the law into their own hands, behaving more like vigilantes than like cops. Rally didn't blame him though: if what occurred to Murphy did so with _her_, she'd behave no differently, & she knows Minnie-May would too.

_Minnie-May has a point, Murphy_, thought Rally. _How _do _you stand it, being what you are?_

Then she recalls her nightmare, & she holds her partner closer as tears start flowing out of her own eyes. Embraced in a loving hug, Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins cried until they went back to sleep.

Which was about forty-five minutes later.

**CHAPTER VII**

_Metro West, 9:00 a.m.:_

Becky Farrah awoke to the slight sound of machinery getting hit & placed down, along with keyboards being tapped constantly by fingers. Getting herself dressed in a one-piece purple blouse & shoes, Becky grabs a pair of sodas from the beverage dispenser & heads over into the 'chamber' where RoboCop was kept when he's off-duty. Along the way, she runs into Detective Roy Coleman & Sergeant Reed, each of whom have a Styrofoam cup of coffee in their hands.

"Oh, good morning, Miss Farrah", Reed says with a smile & taking a sip from his coffee. "Sleep well?"

"Like a baby", Becky said, adding a smile of her own & sipping her soda. "I was just on my way over to Marie & offer her a drink."

"Funny. Reed & I were heading there ourselves", Roy said, sipping his own drink. "Let's _all _go down to greet her & Murphy a good morning, what do you say?"

Becky nods happily.

As a trio, Becky, Roy & Reed make their way to Marie Lazarus & find her doing morning maitenance on RoboCop as he sits in his chair, fixing a panel on his back with a pair of welding tools before placing it back like she would a lid on a jar. Next she takes a drill & places it on the left side of RoboCop's head & puts it in reverse to remove a long silver screw, the drill making a low sound. Going over to his right, Marie repeats the process & puts both screws & the drill itself on a table before she realizes she has company.

"Oh, good morning everyone", Marie says with a smile. "Is that a drink for me, Becky?"

"That's right. I figure you could use it, Marie", Becky says, handing it over to Marie, who gracefully accepts.

"And how. Thank you", she replied, opening it up & taking a good sip before placing it down.

"Getting the big guy ready for the day, I see", Roy asks half-jokingly.

"Just want to get a few of his onboard systems a slight upgrade, Detective", Marie says. "He should be ready to go about his day in a few minutes once that's complete."

"Good to hear, Marie", says Reed. "The sooner he's on his feet & by our side, the better we'll all feel - even more so than usual, considering who & _what_ we're currently up against."

"I know how you & everyone else feel about it, Sarge. Believe me", Marie said, turning to RoboCop. "All right, Murphy - I'm going to have to go & 'check under your hood' for a while."

"I understand, Marie", RoboCop said.

"Here we go."

Using both hands, Marie Lazarus carefully lifts up & removes RoboCop's helmet & chin guard & places it on the table next to her. What is revealed from under the helmet is nothing that Sergeant Reed hasn't seen before, but to Becky Farrah, it was a whole new experience. Her eyes light up & she gasps slightly to what she now bears witness to: at the front of a mechanical head was a face made of synthetic flesh with a 'hole' on the upper-right side, a bullet would where Clarence Boddicker had placed after his crew blasted the shit out of Murphy during that time at the Steel Mill long ago. Becky had heard reports of flesh & bionics merging as one, but up until now she never thought she'd bear witness to it in an actual machine. Sure, she'd seen gangsters Bonnie & Gray with synthetic/artificial limbs on their persons, but to see a man get resurrected as a full-scale robot was something that defied logic.

Whatever doubts Becky Farrah had about man & machine becoming one were now purged after seeing the indisputable proof right before her. Even Roy Coleman was astounded by the sight, despite seeing RoboCop without his helmet once before in Chicago only last month.

"Oh, _that's _right. You've never _seen _Murphy without his helmet on, have you, Becky?", asked Reed curiously.

"No, Sergeant Reed. I haven't", Becky answers, walking up to Murphy as Roy & Reed do so with her from behind. Even Marie stops working on Murphy's head as Becky approaches the cyborg cop & stops when she gets a foot or two from him & stares curiously at his 'face'.

"So _this _is what they've made of you - what's left of you", Becky said.

"Yes", was Murphy's answer as Becky puts a finger onto his face & touches the synthetic material slightly before gasping & withdrawing it, taking a few steps back.

"What is it, Becky?", asked Roy.

"Roy, it…it's cold", she replied.

Becky Farrah's action resparked the memory in Murphy's mind of when his widow Ellen had done the same thing, & it briefly replays in his head before his vision returns to normal.

"As I once told…an associate, 'They made this…to honor him'", Murphy said evenly.

"Well, I guess OCP had the decency to do _that _when they made you into this, Murphy", Roy said. "But still, I always thought that the fusion between flesh & bionics would be a factor in things like movies, TV & comic books…not the _real _world!"

"You're far from alone, Roy", said Becky. "It reminds me of a saying once said by poet & philosopher Henry David Thoreau."

"A saying?", Reed asked as Becky turns to him & Roy.

"It went something like this: 'The danger of the past was that men became slaves…'"

"'The danger of the future is that man may become robots'", Marie finishes for her. "Yes, I myself have heard of it too, Becky. But although you said the phrase correctly, I should point out that you were wrong about who had said it."

"You mean it _wasn't _Henry David Thoreau? But how?"

"You see, Miss Farrah", Murphy explains. "The word 'robot' did not enter our vocabulary until the year 1921, which was 59 years _after _Henry David Thoreau passed away, back in 1862. Therefore, it would have been impossible for him to have said it. The one who _actually _did was German humanologist Erich Fromm, who lived from 1900 to 1980, died five days before his 80th birthday. What you had read before was undoubtedly a misprint."

As Murphy explained to Becky about the slip-up in who-said-what, Marie inserted a tube in the back of his head like she would an outlet. Typing a few keys from her keypad, a humming sound at a low volume. It continues to hum for two-three minutes before a beeping sound marks its end, & Marie removes the tube from his head.

"There you go, Murphy", she says. "Your systems upgrade has been installed. Oh, & I also took the liberty of inserting an anti-virus protection program into you. Should anyone try to invade your systems like those punks from the other night did again, your anti-virus will make quick work of & eradicate it, regradless of how powerful it may be."

"Thank you, Marie", Murphy said, turning his head to see two newcomers. The rest turn as well to find Rally & Minnie-May standing at the entrance. Rally wore a pair of white sneakers, light tan shorts & white short-sleeve shirt with a blue sleeveless coat over it. Minnie-May was dressed in a pair of white sneakers & socks, an orange pair of shorts & magenta shirt with white strips at the ends.

"Sorry. I hope Minnie-May & I weren't intruding on anything", Rally said apologetically.

"Not at all, Rally. Please come in", Marie said. The two Gunsmith Cats walk up to Murphy as he takes his helmet in his hands & stares back in wonder.

"Is there anything wrong, ladies?", Murphy asks, noticing the looks on their faces. "You both seemed…bothered by something."

"No, it's just…how can I put this? I still can't get used to the fact that you've been made like this. Made into a…"

"Cyborg? It _is _difficult to comprehend at times, even for me, I admit. But I prosper because of something very precious & vital to me."

"And what's that?", Becky asked. "A fierce sense of duty?"

"That, & the fact that I am surrounded by good people. Fellow officers. Colleagues. And most importantly…good friends. As long as I have _that_, I can deal with being what Bob Morton & his technicians made me into. So please…try not to despair on my account."

Even as a machine, Rally & Minnie-May can hear the _man _talking behind it, & they smile in gratitude with a nod.

"We'll try not to…Murphy", Rally said with pride.

"How _are _you feeling this morning?", Minnie-May asked as Murphy places his helmet & chin guard back onto his head, using the drill to screw the bolts back in place on either side.

"Pretty damn good, Minnie-May. Thank you for asking", RoboCop says, placing the drill back down on the table. Taking his Auto-9 from his leg holster, he checks it thoroughly before giving it a twirl with his hand a few times & placing it back.

_Wow! Pretty fancy move there, Murphy!_, Rally thought, amazed by his little performance.

"Our trap for Colonel Daniels is set, I presume", RoboCop said, not a question.

Sergeant Reed & Detective Coleman nod.

"It is", Roy commented. "All we need to do now is wait for the mouse to come & grab the cheese! _That's _when we'll nail his metallic ass!" Roy turns to Rally & Minnie-May. "Girls, it's a big risk to you both, we know. And we don't like making you the bait for this madman, but…"

"Don't sweat it, Roy", Rally said plain & simple. "If we're going to nail this asshole but good, then taking a dangerous risk like the one _we _are might be our only alternative in getting the job done!"

"Besides, it's not the _first _time we were asked to act as the cheese for the mouse we're supposed to catch!", Minnie-May adds with a wink.

"No, it isn't", Roy says with a smile. "Let's get in position."

"You & Reed go ahead. We'll join you all shortly", Rally said. Both officers nod, leaving both Gunsmith Cats, Marie & Becky alone with the cyborg cop. Turning to Murphy, Rally speaks her mind once they were gone.

"Minnie-May & I have always believed that no matter what a person might look like on the outside, it's what's _inside _that counts", she says, smiling. "We may not know you personally as much as Marie, Reed & the rest of Metro West do, but we _do _know that Alex Murphy has a good, caring heart along with that fierce sense of duty you carry. _That's _what _really _defines you."

Rally's words were reminiscent of what Minnie-May told him during that time in the police safe house in Chicago when they shared an 'intimate moment' together, & they were no less true (or heartwarming) than before, & Murphy didn't need his scanners to know that Rally was speaking the truth.

"Thank you kindly, Rally Vincent", he says, turning to Marie. "Marie, I would like for you & Becky Farrah to…"

"We understand, Murphy. We'll remain here", she says.

"Just be careful, okay?", Becky says. "All of you."

"We will, Becky! _Trust _us!", Rally said, winking.

"Let's get to Sergeant Reed & the others, ladies", RoboCop said.

"Lead the way, Murphy!", Minnie-May said.

RoboCop leads the two Gunsmith Cats away from both computer gals to rejoin the officers in placing their trap in motion. Watching them go gave Marie & Becky a sense of bravado, but it also gave them an uneasy feeling. They recall what Johnson said to them the other day: what if it's _Daniels _who's setting up the trap instead of _them?_ Is that what's _really _happening from right under their noses? It that _is_ the case, then will everyone be able to catch it in time before their whole operation blows up in their face?

Too many questions & possibilities, with none of them leading to a straight answer.

Or maybe they already _know _the answer, but are too afraid to admit that it could be the correct one.

Whatever the case may be, all they can do is wait & see which way the wind blows.

It wasn't too comforting, but it's all they have for right now.

Then something enters Becky's mind, & she shares it with Marie.

"You know, I wonder just how Bob Morton managed to build a second RoboCop body for Murphy after Daniels went berserk", Becky says.

"Morton no doubt had very deep pockets", Marie replied. "Probably even _before _he arrived at OCP." Then a thought entered _her _head. "Becky, why don't we do some _more_ digging about Morton's failed first attempt at making a cyborg cop, now that Johnson's gotten us past that pain-in-the-ass firewall?"

"You know, Marie, I had that very same idea!", Becky said. "Who knows? We might find something about Daniels that even Johnson may not be aware of!"

Smiles came across their faces, & they went over to the computer & got to work.

_1:00 p.m.:_

Police were all over the Metro West Police Station from inside _and _out, each one heavily armed with Barrett M82A1 Assault Rifles with powerful .50 BMG rounds, Remington Model 870 & classic SPAS-12 shotguns, & Desert Eagle Magnums. In their possession were some of the most powerful & effective firearms ever handed to officers for any kind of mission. It was not usually required for police officers to carry such firepower in their midst. But this was a most unusual circumstance, where the suspect was literally dressed & performed like a tank - one who was _supposed _to be on _their _side before the individual snapped & went on a rampage until he was shut down & mothballed for many years, resurfacing for a title he will do _anything _to obtain.

Even murder other officers.

_Too bad, fella!_, thought one officer who watches the outside of the precinct. _Considering what you did so far, it ain't gonna happen now, so give it up!_

He keeps an eagle-eye out for any sign of black, blue & white metal.

Inside the precinct, it was just as quiet as it was outside the walls as Manson, Starkweather & all others were waiting for an enemy that hasn't shown himself in 24 hours, & more than some weren't sure whether to feel disappointed or relieved about it.

They _also _weren't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

Manson checks his watch & lets out a breath.

"Shit. It's been four hours now, & we've not heard even _one _cackle from that mechanical hyena!", he says. "Maybe we _should've _resumed our search out on the streets!"

"No, Manson", Reed said. "That's exactly what Daniels _expects _us to do - divide up our forces & leave us vulnerable to an attack. He gets the drop on us like that, we're all but fucked. That's why I need my best officers here."

"_I _can relate to what you're saying, Sarge, but what if Daniels decides to wreak a little havoc out there in the general populace in order to draw _us _away?", Starkweather says. "We can't just ignore the citizens if they _are _in trouble, be it from Daniels or otherwise."

"Not to worry", Roy said. "There's still a decent number of cops out there for that, plus to keep an eye out for Murphy's evil twin. We stay here in high force, the better our chances will be of taking him down & out of the picture."

"_If _he even takes the bait at _all!_"

"He _will_, officer", Johnson said. "All this firepower you folks are carrying _won't _scare him off that easily. He's _bound _to come here. After all…" He takes a glance at Rally & Minnie-May. "We have who Daniels is looking for."

"And _that's _what I'm worried about!", said one officer. "I don't _like _the idea of using these two ladies as bait for a robotic lunatic!"

Just about every officer in the room nod their approvals of _dis_approval.

"Neither do they, I can assure you!", Reed said. "But like Detective Coleman & I, they _also _know that it's our best bet! Unless somebody's got a _better_ idea that they want to share in taking down Daniels?"

No answers came from any of the officers.

"Rally & Minnie-May both practically _volunteered _to allow themselves to be used in this manner", Murphy adds. "Above all else, they _know _the risks of this operation as any of us does."

"Like the old saying goes, boys & girls: 'If you can't stand the heat…'", Minnie-May starts as she & Rally finish together, "'You better stay out of the kitchen'!"

"And being in _our _line of work is _just _as dangerous as being in _yours!_", Rally added. "Take it from _me!_"

"Okay, we get to what you girls are saying", Manson said, turning to the former OCP exec. "But why are _you _here, Johnson? You should get _below_, where it's safer! Daniels _did _try to kill _you _as well just the other day, don't forget!"

"There's no way I could, officer", Johnson said. "But, like Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins here, I'm not going to run anymore. I'm facing this thing straight to the end. Besides…" Johnson faces the two Gunsmith Cats. "I owe it to these two!", he finishes with a smile & a wink.

Rally & Minnie-May return the gesture.

A pair of footsteps caused by high heels catches their attention as Marie Lazarus rushes up towards the group.

"Marie, what are _you _doing up here? You should be taking shelter where Becky is!", Roy said.

"I need to speak with Murphy, Detective!", she said.

"Can't it wait?"

"No. It's important."

"What is it, Marie?", Murphy asks.

"Something _you _need to see", Marie said plain & simple.

Murphy, Roy & Reed face each other before the cyborg cop gives his answer.

"Show me", he says as they both head back to the lab.

"All of you, remain at your posts!", Reed said as he & Roy rush to catch up.

"What exactly _did _you discover that requires Murphy's immediate attention anyway?", Reed asks.

"Becky & I decided to hack more into the old OCP files about Daniels to see what else we could dig up of him, something Johnson may not even know of", Marie explains.

"What _did _you find out?", Roy asked.

"Becky & I have hit a wall, so we don't know. That's why I asked Murphy to come back to the lab. With _his _skills, he could get access in no time. We figure that's much better that making Johnson do it again. You understand, don't you, Murphy?"

"Yes, Marie", he says. "Besides, Johnson is remaining with Rally & Minnie-May, saying he owes them. I understand _that _as well."

_You can count me on it too, Murph!_, Marie thought happily.

"Once I discover what you wish to show me, & shall view it for the rest to see", the cyborg cop went on. "Any & all info on Daniels will vastly benefit us on this case, & the sooner we…"

Murphy stops in his tracks, causing the others to do the same. When Reed asks what was wrong, RoboCop holds up his hand for silence. It takes him a second to both pinpoint the sound & identify it as screeching wheels.

And they were getting closer to the station!

Next came a sound _all _could hear, cyborg or not: gunfire, followed by men shouting.

Deploying his gun, RoboCop marches back the way he came.

"Your info will have to wait, Marie!", he says. "Get back to the lab with Becky & stay there!"

RoboCop takes only a few steps when a police cruiser comes crashing through the wall of the station & crashes in the hallway only two feet from him, blocking his route. At that very same moment, an armored police van comes crashing through the main entrance of the station, causing officers, the two Gunsmith Cats & Johnson to dive for cover. Debris falls & shatters the area as the van takes up a good portion of the room. The diving officers slowly life themselves up & move in on the van, guns ready. Rally, Minnie-May & Johnson stay behind as two officers approach the front right door & open it. What they find inside is nothing short of a horror show: both officers in the front were dead, the passenger with his throat slit & bled to death within minutes as the driver had his brains splattered across the dashboard & windshield, being shot from behind.

In the hallway, RoboCop attempts to push away the cruiser with its deceased driver - his throat punctured from front to back - as Reed, Roy & Marie stay behind by sixteen feet. When he checks the body of the dead officer, he spots something strapped to his torso: a man-made bomb attached to a timer!

And its time was just about up!

"_Bomb!_", RoboCop yelled, turning around & urging his three friends to get further back. Marie, Roy & Reed run at full speed as Murphy tries to match their pace. He makes almost a dozen paces when the bomb goes off, taking out more of the wall & ceiling as debris rains down & outwards. The force of the blast was enough to knock RoboCop off his feet & fall onto his chest, the momentum sending him sliding down across the floor until he stops when he rams into a wall, causing a hole that nearly sends him through the other side of it. Marie, Roy & Reed get out of his way & avoid getting knocked over by making a turn at the end of the hall.

The force of the explosion was felt all over, including the main entrance.

"Jesus Christ! That _definitely _wasn't one of _Minnie-May's _little toys going off!", said an officer, trying to get his footing.

"No, asshole! It was _mine!_"

The cold mechanical voice was followed up by a volley of gunshots as the newly arrived Colonel Daniels began firing both his Auto-9s at the officers, striking them in the heads, chests & even crippling a few by shooting them in the legs. Several of the officers fire back, but only get a few shots out of their guns before Daniels makes short work of them, placing well-placed bullets in vital organs. A pair of officer shield Rally, Minnie-May & Johnson with their bodies, but they met the same deadly fate as most of their comrades. In no time, the officers were all dead & down from leg wounds. Manson, Starkweather & several others fall into the category of the latter as they clutch their bleeding appendages, wincing in pain. Only Rally, Minnie-May & Johnson were all that was left standing, & Rally gets a few well-placed rounds at her feet as Daniels aims his guns at the three of them.

"Don't even _think _about going for your guns, Rally Vincent!", the renegade RoboCop says menacingly. "That goes for _you_ too, Minnie-May Hopkins! Reach for a grenade or anything else, & I'll shoot you where you stand! Now…both of you bitches, get in this van! You too, Johnson!"

"_Fuck you_, Daniels!", Rally & Minnie-May spat with a scowl.

"_Same_ goes for _me!_ We ain't going _anywhere _with _you_, Colonel!", Johnson also spat.

Daniels' answer to their rebuke of one were a pair of fast-paced rounds to the brains of two officers clutching their legs, silencing them for good. Several more wounded but alive officers stared at the rogue unit with fear in their eyes, being as quiet as their pain will allow them to be.

"I'm not _asking!_", Daniels snapped, re-aiming his guns at the three. "Now…_get _your asses in this van, or else _more _officers die by your hands!" He aims his guns at both Starkweather & Manson. "Starting with _those _two!"

The trio of hostages turn to their fallen comrades, & most of their bravado shrivels away, seeing how helpless they are even with their guns still in their hands. With apologetic looks, they begin to make their way to the van as per Daniels' orders.

"We're sorry", Johnson says sincerely, making his way forward.

"You two whores get in the back! Johnson, _you're _taking the wheel!", Daniels orders. "Get those dead fucks out of the front seats & park it! Try anything funny - _any _of you - and what will follow will _not _be pleasant by _any means!_"

"Okay, we _get it_, you silicone _schmuck!_", Rally spat, opening the van's side door.

"Yeah, we're doing what you're _telling _us to, so _leave _those poor officers the fuck _alone _already!", Minnie-May spat. Having put his right gun away, Daniels grabs the girls by the back of their clothes at the neck & lifts them six inches off the ground.

"You fucking cunts are in _no _goddamn position to be telling _me _what I can or cannot do!", the cyborg madman growls. "_I'll _decide whether or not to put a bullet in the _rest_ of these fucking pigs! Now _shut up!_"

With his gun, Daniels knocks out Rally & Minnie-May on top of their heads before tossing their unconscious forms in the back like sacks of potatoes & closing the door. By then, Johnson has dumped the first corpse from the front & is now getting the second one out. Daniels throws it away effortlessly with one hand & puts his other gun in his left hand at the black man's face.

"Driver's seat - _now!_", he orders as Johnson climbs in, with Daniels pushing him in as he gets in the passenger seat & closes the door. Keeping the gun aimed at his head, Daniels orders his hostage to back the van out.

With no ED-209s protecting him this time & the officers in Metro West mostly dealt with, Johnson has no choice but to obey.

Putting the vehicle in reverse, Johnson gets it through the makeshift hole of the precinct & over the fallen debris & back out into the street. By then, more officers have converged on the van, including Sergeant Reed, Detective Roy Coleman & RoboCop himself, their guns drawn. Ordering Johnson to stop the van, Daniels keeps his gun trained at his head.

His double makes his announcement in a boomed voice.

"_Aaron Daniels, you will release your hostages & come out with your hands up!_", he says. "_Failure to comply with these orders WILL result in your destruction! Your move!_"

In a boomed, amplified voice of his own, Daniels makes his _own_ announcement.

"_Your orders will be ignored, but MINE better not be! As you can see, I have a gun at the head of Donald Johnson, & in the back are Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins, unconscious! If your guns are not lowered & our passage blocked in ten seconds, I will kill them all! Now…do as I say, or forfeit their lives! YOUR move!_"

Murphy calculates the options in his head. He could take a shot or two at his gun before Daniels can pull the trigger & redirect it elsewhere. But considering that Daniels is a crackshot even before he was made into a cyborg, the odds of it succeeding & rescuing his hostages are not good. And a shootout was also out of the question: even though police vans are made to take a ton of punishment under fire, there's still a chance a bullet will get through the armor & strike the one(s) inside. Plus, the fact that Rally & Minnie-May are unconscious complicates things further: were they awake, they'd figure a way out on their own. But they aren't, & Daniels will kill them without a second thought if provoked.

Lowering his gun & stepping aside, RoboCop made the choice for all officers in the area, & they do the same just as their ten seconds were up.

"_A wise decision!_", Daniels says before making his voice normal, addressing Johnson. "Turn right & drive!"

Complying, the former OCP exec takes the van aweay from the Metro West station as the officers can do nothing but watch them drive off, disappearing at the turn of the wheel a few blocks down. One officer attempts to shoot out the tires by aiming his gun at them, but a quick shake of the head by Reed puts the brakes to that notion, & the man lowers his weapon.

"I'm sorry, son", he says. "You had the right idea, but with three hostages in his grip, two of which are knocked unconscious, we couldn't risk it."

"So _now _what do we do, Sarge? We can't just let him drive off! You _know _damn well that he's going to kill them eventually!", the man, Vickers, said.

"I've no doubt about _that!_ But if we go after him in full force, he'll kill them much sooner than he intends to keep them alive!"

"And that is why _I _shall pursue him!", RoboCop said.

"You? But Murphy…he's _more _than a match for even _you!_", Vickers said. "It's _crazy _to go after him alone!"

"He _won't _be, Vickers!", Reed said. "_I'll _be going with him, along with Detective Coleman here!" He turns to Roy, who gives him a quick nod.

"With Rally & Minnie-May as two of his hostages, you _bet _I'm going with you two!", the Chicago officer says. Marie & Becky exit the station & run up to RoboCop.

"Murphy! Are you & everyone all right?", Marie asks.

"We're good, Marie", Murphy replied. "But we have multiple wounded & even more dead within the station, I'm afraid."

"Let _us _deal with them, Murphy!", said Vickers. "You, the Sarge & Detective Coleman go _get _that robotic psycho & save those two Gunsmith ladies, as well as Johnson! _We'll _get medics for our wounded & take care of the deceased!"

The three said officers face each other as Reed nods, turning back to his men.

"You're all good men, Vickers! Do it!", Reed says as Vickers & the others get started. He turns to Roy & Murphy. "Let's get a move-on, folks!"

Nodding, Reed's two partners make their way towards the nearest cruiser but are stopped when Becky Farrah calls out to them.

"Wait! One thing before you three head off!", she says.

"What is it, Miss Farrah?", Murphy asks.

"I just want you to remember something, Murphy. Colonel Daniels may have once served his country, but now he's a psychotic, murderous machine! _That _is _not you!_", Becky explains as she now puts on a small smile. "Underneath that metallic shell of a body, you are _still _Alexander J. Murphy! You're a _cop_, & a damned _good _one! Don't _ever _forget that!"

"I will not. Thank you, Becky Farrah", Murphy says, turning to Marie. "Dr. Lazarus, you & Becky keep digging in those files. Whatever else you may discover, transfer them to me directly. You know my frequency."

"I do, & we shall. Now go…_save _our three friends before it's too late!", Marie finished.

"Leave it to _us_, Doctor!", Roy said, heading towards a cruiser with Reed & Murphy. The cyborg cop takes the wheel as Reed sits in the passenger seat & Roy in the back. Starting it up & hitting the sirens, Murphy races off in the direction of the runaway police van now in control of a robotic madman.

For the first five minutes, they find no trace of it.

"Where the hell _is _it?", asked a frustrated Roy. "We couldn't have lost it _that _easily, much less this _soon!_"

"Roy's got a _point_, Murphy!", says Reed. "A van with a man being held at gunpoint by a blue-metal robot _is _pretty hard for people to miss, even in a vehicle belonging to the police!"

"You are both correct, Sergeant, Detective", Murphy said. "Said van has just been spotted by citizens over at Riverside Park, heading southwest. You both may want to fasten your seat belts."

Once Murphy gave his warning, he stepped on the gas pedal & sped up the cruiser as Roy & Reed rushed to get their belts on. When they got to Riverside Park, citizens were still present as Reed & Roy began asking if they knew where the van took off. Almost all at once they pointed over at West Jefferson Avenue.

Giving their thanks, the trio of officers headed down said street at high speed, racing past buildings such as the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum & Historic Fort Wayne. Then they all reached Zug Island, & a dreaded sense of deja-vu set in for two of the three cops in the cruiser, to mostly Murphy in particular.

"Say, Murphy, isn't this the exact same place where…", Reed started to say.

"Yes, Sergeant Reed. It is", Murphy says, cutting him off.

The Steel Mill. Where it all ended, & ultimately, where it all began: a flesh & blood officer was ruthlessly, mercilessly gunned down & the ultimate police officer was born. A few flashes of his time here, from splitting up with his partner Anne Lewis to his gruesome end at Clarence J. Boddicker & his crew to their final confrontation, came up in his mind. Murphy pushed all those thoughts away to concentrate better on locating the van carrying Daniels & his trio of hostages.

Using his scanners & built-in map, Murphy scours the area & hits pay dirt almost in an instant.

"Found it", he says.

"How far away, Murphy?", Roy asks.

"Near the entrance of the old Steel Mill."

"Let's approach with caution, Murphy. Who knows? Daniels might be setting up a trap for us like he did back at the station", Reed warns.

"Understood, Sergeant Reed", Murphy says, going off West Jefferson onto Zug Island Road. He knew Reed was right: for all their preparation in setting a trap for Daniels at the station, it was _Daniels _who'd set a trap for _them_, something Johnson himself warned about. Ironically, he gets caught in it along with the two Gunsmith Cats, & their well-being is something worrying the three of them.

_Hold tight, Johnson. We'll get you out of Daniels' clutches soon_, Reed thought, having a pang of regret for not preventing his capture before.

_Rally. Minnie-May_, both Murphy & Roy thought, feeling the same as Reed.

Even before they race down the road & cross the bridge over the water, they can see the van in plain ordinary sight several yards from the bridge, resting between two low structures. The cruiser slows its speed once it gets on the bridge, careful not to alert Daniels should he be in the vicinity or set off any traps he may have laid out.

"There it is, Murphy! Are Johnson & the ladies still inside?", Reed wondered.

"Let me check", Murphy said. Doing a thermograph scan, RoboCop makes a view of the van's interior & finds three people - one adult & two young ladies - laying inside. There was no doubt as to who were within.

"It's them. They are alive", RoboCop said, putting Reed & Roy somewhat at ease.

"Thank the Heavens", Reed said softly.

"I know how you feel, Reed, but this still seems way too easy", Roy warns. "Like you said before, Daniels may be _expecting _us to make a move toward them. Murphy, can you locate him with your scanners?"

"Already did, Detective Coleman", RoboCop said. "My scanners can find no trace of him anywhere. Either he's not here in the area, or he's found a way to block my scanners with some kind of cloaking device."

"I'd stake my reputation on the latter, Murphy!", Reed said. "But whether he's here or not, I'm for getting our friends _out _of this place & _away _from it - _and _Daniels!"

"Same here, trap or not!", Roy agreed. "Let's go, Murphy!"

"Yes!", RoboCop said, moving the cruiser closer to the van slowly but surely. They all keep an eagle-eye out for any sign of blue or white. Murphy steps on the gas a little bit more as he gets fifteen feet closer.

Then the rear of their cruiser gets blown apart by a well-concealed land mine!

Like a giant hand, the explosion lifts the cruiser from the rear & flips it like a large metal pancake. It lands on its roof, crushing it & the lights as glass shatters out everywhere. Acting fast, RoboCop pushes his door out & off its hinges & works on getting Sergeant Reed & Detective Coleman out of the twisted wreck. Tearing off their doors & seat belts, the cyborg cop pulls out both officers away from the wreck & does a quick scan of their vital signs.

All points lead to good news.

_Their vitals are both good_, Murphy thought.

From behind, a pair of metal white fists knocks him in the side, sending Murphy flying across the landscape at a distance of nearly twenty feet. He lands hard on the dirt onto his side as a pair of metal feet come walking up to him.

"Hello, Murphy!", Daniels says, standing only five feet away. "I _do _hope this place didn't bring back any bad lingering memories for you!"

"You're going to have to do a lot better than _that _to install any fear within _me_, Colonel Daniels!", Murphy said, rising to his feet.

"No problem!"

Grabbing Murphy by his neck & right arm, Daniels throws his foe back to the upside-down cruiser, landing four feet from the hood on his arms & legs. Daniels runs up to him but gets a hard right foot where his groin should be. Unimpressed, Daniels turns Murphy over on his back & receives a right fist in the side of his head, giving the downed officer time to get back up. He keeps the pressure on Daniels going by slamming another right fist into his chin & following it up with a left jab in that same spot, knocking him down on his back. Murphy draws his Auto-9 from his right leg but Daniels does the same with both of his, one of them aimed right at Murphy himself & his other at the downed Sergeant Reed & Detective Coleman.

"I wouldn't shoot if I were you, Murphy!", Daniels says. "I can easily kill officers Reed & Coleman from where I lay! They might even get hit by a ricochet, should you hit me or deflect any of my shots with your weapon! Put your gun away & I'll do the same with mine!"

"How can I trust you to _keep _your word, or even if you _will?_", Murphy asks.

"You don't! You'll just have to find out! Now…holster your weapon, if you please!"

After a second or two, Murphy does as is suggested of him, wondering if the mad Colonel will do the same.

Incredibly, he does: in both his left & right leg ports, Daniels places his guns away & shuts them. Once they're gone, Murphy acts first by taking his evil twin by one arm & his throat in a vice-like grip & takes him over to the front of the flipped cruiser, smashing him hard into it & crushing the hood _and _the motor in a crunch of metal that screeches its protest.

"Let's see how _you _like it!", Murphy snaps at Daniels as he pushes him further into the car, repaying him for his stunt the other day in Downtown Detroit. Broken twisted metal caves in on Daniels from both sides as he secretly ejects a small disc the size of a hockey puck from his left wrist & places it on Murphy's chest, the three prongs digging into his armor. Once in place, the disc lets off an electric charge which stuns Murphy from head to toe, & his vision starts rolling vertically & horizontally, flashing on & off. It gave Daniels time to push the metal away & free himself before knocking Murphy down with a powerful right arm to the side of his head.

Murphy was still convulsing from the disc as Daniels stood over him & spoke.

"If the memories of this place didn't bother you at all, Murphy, just wait until you see what we have in store for you later on!", Daniels says with a smirk. "It'll be a nightmare a hundred times worse…one which you'll _never _awaken from!"

Murphy heard most of Daniels' words in mixed garbles, his vision still going crazy with distortion & snow. But he was still able to make out a few of what he heard, such as 'wait until', 'store for you', 'nightmare' & '_never _awaken'.

While he couldn't make it out clearly, Murphy can tell that the worst was yet to come.

Moments later, his vision shut down like a TV set which someone turned off, & everything went black.

**CHAPTER VIII**

Murphy didn't know for how long he'd been shut down when all of his systems came back online. What he _did _know was that he found himself laying on a table in a room with just enough light to see himself staring at the ceiling. He wasn't sure of where exactly, but he saw he was in a lab of some kind, complete with a large monitor in front of him. He also found a tangle of wires attached to the side of his head on the left. Following the trail, he finds Colonel Daniels in the same position he was in, his arms & legs shackled at the wrists & ankles, with wires attached to his head on the right - the exact ones which were done so on Murphy. Another grove of wires came out on Daniels' own left side & attached to the monitor itself. When angling for a better look, a female voice caught his attention & he ceases.

"Greetings, Murphy. Glad to see you awake", she said, stepping into the circle of light. She had black clothing on beneath her white lab coat, brown curly hair & eyes, & ruby red lips. The cyborg officer recognized her instantly, & was no more happy to see her now than that first time.

"Dr. Juliette Faxx!", he says with clenched teeth.

"Full marks", Faxx said with a smile. "Oh, I wouldn't struggle in those shackles if I were you. They'll only tighten if any pressure is placed upon them until they completely take off your hands & feet." She casually strolls up to the cyborg & caresses her chest, now devoid of the disc Daniels placed on it. Her smile became wicked. "Strange as it may seem, it's really good to see you again, Murphy."

"If only the feeling was mutual, Doctor!", RoboCop snarled. "Where are my friends? What have you & Daniels _done _with them?"

"Ah yes, those two officers, that asshole Johnson & those two Gunsmith cunts!", replied Faxx as she walks up to the console & typing a few buttons. "Look behind you!"

As Faxx finished, the room lit up better to reveal more equipment, but RoboCop did as she suggested & found Detective Coleman, Sergeant Reed, Johnson, Rally & Minnie-May all sitting on their legs three feet behind him, their heads slumped forward & hands binded behind their backs, no doubt by rope or even handcuffs. Murphy called out each of their names to try & revive them.

That, & the sudden light show above them helped to stir the five captives awake to find themselves binded in the back.

"Murphy!", they all say in unison.

"The gang's all awake! Good!", Faxx gloated.

"Dr. Juliette Faxx!", Johnson says, saying her name like it was poison.

"Hello, Johnson. It's been a long time."

"Not _nearly _long enough to satisfy _my _tastes!"

"Well well…if it isn't the _psycho slut_ who placed a madman's brain inside of a giant killer robot a while back!", Rally snarled, scowling.

"And all to make herself a _name _at OCP!", Minnie-May adds no differently. "Well, I guess a _little _congrats are in order…you've earned one with _bitch _attached to it!"

Faxx smiled amusingly, strolling up to the two Gunsmith Cats.

"Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins", she says cooingly. "You two _are _as charming as I've heard!"

"I wouldn't get _too _close to them, Dr. Faxx!", Johnson warned. "Those two cats _know_ how to _scratch _& _bite_…badly!"

"Oh, don't worry about poor little ol' _me_, Johnson!", Faxx says, reaching into her coat & pulling out a handgun. "_I _know how to handle stray pets!" She examines the firearm. "Nice, Miss Vincent! A Desert Eagle 50 AE Caliber Magnum! So _this _is the gun that messed up my poor dear Daniels before!"

"It's a _spare_, Doctor!", Rally barked. "That asshole Colonel shot & ruined my _other _one!"

"Well, I'll just hold onto this along with all your _other _weapons, if you don't mind!"

"So…it was _you_ who sent Daniels to kill your former associates at OCP: Mr. Schenck, Mr. Morton Senior, Shyster Holzgang, Marvin Kuzak & even the Old Man himself!", Coleman says.

"And almost _me _as well!", Johnson adds.

"A Detective to the last", Faxx said, placing the gun back in her coat. "Yes, I'm guilty as charged on _that_, at least. But I suppose I should point out that in the Wayne County Detention Facility, only Holzgang was my _real _target. That moron Kuzak was just a _bonus_, nothing more!"

"He _still _didn't deserve his horrible fate, Doctor!", Reed fumed. "He was being punished enough inside that facility without having your mechanical boy toy gutting him, _or _Shyster, like goddamned _trout!_"

"Cry me a river, Sergeant! However, I can't take _all _of the credit for getting Daniels inside Wayne County!"

"You mean…you have a _second _associate?", Roy deduced as Faxx clapped briefly.

"Very good, Coleman! Why don't we bring him in & get you all acquainted?", Faxx says as she calls over her shoulder. "Sweetie, could you come in here? Our guests have arrived!"

Footsteps on the tiled floor mark the arrival of the newcomer, who appears dressed in blue jeans, black shoes, white dress shirt with a gray jacket over it all. He seemed to be an African-American, with short hair & tinted shades covering his eyes. He looked to be somewhere in his early 20s, & is strangely _familiar _to Rally & Minnie-May somehow.

_Holy shit! Is that…?_, thought Minnie-May.

_No. Fucking. Way!_, Rally thought in disbelief.

When he removes his shades, the world of the Gunsmith Cats gets turned upside-down.

"_Gray?!_", Rally & Minnie-May say, their eyes going wide.

"Gray _Junior_, to be exact, ladies!", he says with a sinister grin.

"_You're _his _son?!_ I never even knew your father was _married!_", Roy said, just as shocked as the Gunsmiths.

"Not really married, Detective Coleman!", Gray Jr. said. "My mother was my old man's favorite dame! Sadly, she O.D.'d on coke shortly after I learned my father was killed by _this _cunt right here!"

The young man walks up to Rally & Minnie-May, & like a striking cobra, snatches both girls by the throat & lifts them up off the ground, squeezing them.

"Rally! Minnie-May!", Roy shouted.

"You put them _down_, mister!", Johnson barked.

"_Shut up_, nigger!", Gray Jr. shouts back at him, turning to his prey. "You filthy _fucking _whores gave my old man a _shitload _of trouble: blowing off his right hand, hitting him with _all_ kinds of explosives until finally…_you_, Rally Vincent, shoot him _square_ in the chest & _kill him!_ Well, now it's fucking _payback time, you dirty cunts!_"

Rally & Minnie-May's visions start to go dark as their friends call out to them. Only by Faxx's intervention are they spared death.

"Gray sweetie, _no!_", she says, coming to his side. "They'll be _all yours_, like I promised you! But…the transfer comes first as we agreed! Okay? Please?"

Taking a look at Faxx & then at the two Gunsmiths made the decision for the angry young man, & he lets both girls go & they fall to the floor, gasping for air.

"Okay, Dr. Faxx!", Gray Jr. says, walking away. "You _did _deliver the whores to me like you said you would should Daniels be unsuccessful in whacking them! Therefore, I'll live up to _my _end of our bargain!"

"Thank you, sweetie", Faxx said.

"Rally! Minnie-May! Are you two okay?", Johnson asked worriedly.

"We'll…be all right", Rally said as her partner nods.

"Hey junior!", Reed snapped. "Why don't you try doing that shit to someone like _me?!_"

"Or even _me!_", Roy snapped. "Unless you're too _chickenshit _to face someone who just might kick your _ass?!_"

"Don't fucking _tempt _me, old timers!", Gray Jr. warned. "I might _forget _my deal with Dr. Faxx & kill you straight up, like I _wanted _to do with Holzgang & Kuzak! So _zip it!_"

"And I doubt even _I _could cool his rage if that were to happen, gentlemen!", Faxx says. "So just sit tight, keep quiet, & let our dilemma run its course!"

"So it was _you _who sent them to the basement over at Wayne County!", Reed said.

"Dressed as one of the guards, so that Daniels can deal with them, yes!"

"What dilemma were you referring to, Dr. Faxx?", RoboCop asks. "And why are Colonel Daniels & myself connected to these wires in our heads?"

"Yes, I think it's time to unravel the big mystery we're all so anxious to discover!", Faxx says, heading to the console with Gray Jr. "We're about to perform a little…experiment, if you will! Now, I understand that you all found out the good Colonel's origins, & knowing that _he _was supposed to bear the title of RoboCop long before Alex Murphy came onto the scene! Well, since we have no way to _exchange_ their actual brains from one body to another, we'll need to do the next best thing!"

The realization hit them, & it chilled their blood.

"Jesus Christ, Doctor!", Johnson said. "You're going to _transfer _Daniels' consciousness into Murphy's body…_aren't _you?!"

Faxx smiles graciously.

"Very _good_, Johnson!", she says. "You got it right on the _first _try! Then again, you _were _quite good at deducing things, weren't you?" Her smile vanishes into a frown of distaste. "And you & the _rest _of the higher-ups were _also _good at assessing blame on others, like you did me!"

"You were screening fucking _psychotics…murderers_ for our RoboCop 2 project!", fumed Johnson. "Worse, you actually had the _nerve_ to placea brain like that inside of it, in turn letting it go on a rampage, killing _dozens!_ What did you _expect _we were going to do to you?! Give you a goddamn _medal?!_ Had it not been for the Old Man, I would've _strangled _you to death - _before _you went ahead with your plan!"

"Should've taken that chance when you _had _it, hon! Too late now!"

"Then you better _kill _me like you did to the Old Man & the others, Doctor! Because if I _ever _get my hands on you…"

"That's _never _going to happen, Johnson! Now, as I was saying before…at the press of a few buttons, Daniels will have himself being transported from his _current _body into that of which Alex Murphy now inhibits!"

"And what's going to happen to _Murphy's _consciousness once you get the ball rolling?", asked Reed.

"Simple. As Daniels goes into Murphy's body, Murphy will be placed inside of Daniels'! So, while Daniels is able to walk freely as the one _true _RoboCop, poor Alex Murphy will be on the run from the authorities for the rest of his life until his batteries run out…or until he's found & destroyed! And the only ones to know the truth besides Gray Jr. & myself will be _you _five, & that means you'll need to be disposed of after the transfer's been established!"

"I will not _let _you perform your deed on me, Dr. Faxx!", Murphy said.

"Oh, I believe you _will_, mister!", Faxx said icily. "You do _anything _to disrupt the transfer in any way, my partner here kills your friends before your very eyes! Can your conscience bear witness to _that?!_"

"Murphy, they're gonna kill us _either way! _Don't let them _do _this!", Minnie-May says.

"Shut the _fuck _up, you little dick-sucking _cunt!_", Gray Jr. barked. "The next word that comes from _any _of you, & you eat a _bullet! _Understand?!"

No one said anything, but they all scowl in utter contempt at him.

"That's better!", he said, turning to Dr. Faxx & the monitor. "We're all set, Doc!"

"Indeed we are, darling! Let's proceed!", Faxx said, typing on the console. After a couple of moments, a graph appears on the screen, reading from 0% to 100%. Above it was a sign which said 'Power surge for transference'. A second later, a spec of red appears at the left end of the graph & slowly but surely starts to move over to the right.

"There we go, baby!", Faxx says. "When that graph reaches 100%, the transfer will be instantaneous! By the time Murphy finds himself in the opposite body, it'll be too late!"

Even as the process was now in its infant stage, Murphy can still feel his conscious mind beginning to slip away as an unknown form of energy invades him like an illness not unlike the common cold. It washed over him like a mechanical flu, shutting down a few systems as his vision started to go slightly fuzzy. On the screen, the red marker on the graph now reaches 45 to 50%, & Murphy is seeing signs of system failures popping up on his scanners. Items such as life support & backup were being deleted & put out of commission faster than he can get them fixed.

Going past 55% on the graph, Murphy's vision starts going dark & soon fades into total blackness.

But only for a moment: when the graph reaches 60%, sparks begin to erupt from the console, forcing Faxx & Gray Jr. to back away a few feet. At that time, Murphy's vision returns & becomes as clear as before. His readings all check in as normal, along with a new message:

**Unknown virus detected.**

**Anti-Virus activated.**

**Unknown threat eradicated.**

**All systems normal.**

_Thank you, Dr. Lazarus!_, Murphy thought, recalling the anti-virus she installed within him to prevent anyone from damaging him from the inside.

"What the _hell?!_", Gray Jr. says, wondering what went wrong.

"_There's _your answer!", Faxx says, pointing to the screen. On the monitor reads a message:

**Unable to continue. Anti-Virus program detected in destination module.**

"So _that's _it!", Faxx fumed. "Murphy's been installed with that kind of firewall inside him, no doubt thanks to that _bitch_ Marie Lazarus! Pretty clever, I must admit! But _that _little bit of magic is going to _cost _you, Murphy - _big time!_"

Gray Jr. & Faxx reach within their coats for their guns, but before they can fully turn around, a pair of shots from behind them hit the console only three inches from them.

"Don't either of you _dare _reach for your guns!", Reed says. "Keep your hands up & turn around - slowly!"

Complying with his orders, both antagonists turn to face their prisoners - all of whom were now freed & re-armed with their guns & grenades. All had handcuffs - the same ones they were binded with - hanging from their fingers.

"How the _hell_ did you get out of those?", Faxx asked.

"It wasn't all _that _difficult, Doc!", Roy said with a smile. "When you've worked with handcuffs for as long as _we _have, you _pick up _a few tricks!"

"And the _next _time you want to keep your enemy's weapons out of their reach, I suggest _not _leaving them laying around in plain sight, let alone right behind them where they can snatch them back up!", Rally says, her CZ-75 fitting in her hand like a comfortable glove.

"But there won't _be _a next time for _either _of you!", said Minnie-May. "Now…remove those wires from Murphy's head & free him out of those bonds!"

"That won't be necessary, Minnie-May", RoboCop said, removing his wires & bonds with ease & getting off the table "When the console shorted out, it released the mechanisms to my bonds, enabling me to get loose."

"Good to know!", said Daniels. Without warning, the rogue robot literally sprang up from his table & dived at Murphy in a flying tackle, knocking his own wires loose & crushing the table Murphy rested upon seconds ago. This confusion was the distraction Dr. Faxx & Gray Jr. needed, & they use it to bolt from their one-time hostages & head into the next room.

"Hey, you two! Get back here _now!_", Rally shouted, aiming her gun at their rears but she still refuses to shoot anyone in the back. Even them.

_Dammit!_, she thought unhappily.

"Come on! Before they get away!", Johnson says, already partly on his way.

"What about Murphy?", Minnie-May wondered.

"We'll let _him_ deal with Daniels!", said Roy.

"Don't worry, hon! It's what he would _want _us to do!", Reed adds. "Besides, you & Rally have a _score _to settle with Gray's brat, am I right?"

"_Hell yeah!_", Rally & Minnie-May said.

"Then let's haul ass!", Roy said, & the group race to catch up with Juliette Faxx & Gray Jr.

Daniels sees them escaping & draws one of his guns to fire, but Murphy deflects his aim with one hand to allow his friends to escape & pursue Faxx & Gray's maniacal son. With a hard, powerful right elbow, Daniels smashes Murphy in the chest & send him knocking backwards to a distance of ten feet, more than enough time to re-aim his weapon & shoot his new target. The rounds do no damage to him, & Murphy was back on his feet in no time.

"You may want to put that away, Colonel!", Murphy says over the gunfire. "You cannot stop me with _your_ gun any more than _I_ can with _mine!_"

The corrupt colonel ceases his barrage, seeing the veracity of Murphy's words.

"You're right, Murphy!", Daniels says, holstering his gun in his right leg. "Let's take this elsewhere!"

He runs up to his foe & pushes him aside violently, knocking him down again as Daniels reaches for one of the elevators & presses a button. Almost immediately the double doors open up, allowing access to the inside, which he steps into & the doors close with a ping. Knowing he won't catch him on foot by going up the stairs, Murphy heads over to the other elevator & taps the 'up' button. It took several seconds longer for him than it did for Daniels, but Murphy takes it in stride & stepped in when the doors opened for him to go inside.

The doors close, & Murphy was literally on his way up in search of his foe.

_Somewhere within the complex:_

Rally, Minnie-May & company followed hot on the trail as the former takes lead, along with Reed & Roy, who have the guns in hand. Searching every corner with each new room they enter, the group finds no sign of the two fleeing suspects.

_How in the hell can they vanish from sight so quick?_, Reed thought.

The others had that same thought, & it started to worry them - for very good reason. Faxx will do just anything to get what she wants, up to & including murder, & Gray Jr. is simply just as deranged as his father was, with a mad-on that raged in the same parameters with Daniels' own hatred of Rally & Minnie-May.

All the more reason to find them ASAP.

"Reed, Rally, let's try to take them alive", Roy said in a low voice. "Shoot to kill _only _if they give you no other alternative!"

"Copy that, Detective!", Reed says in the same manner.

"We hear you, Roy!", Rally replied, also lowly.

"So do _we!_", Gray Jr. said, appearing at the opposite entranceway with Dr. Faxx, both of them brandishing Auto-9s which they fire at the unwary group. Roy & company barely dive down in time behind a counter to avoid getting bullets in the head. Glass & other instruments get shattered by the powerful high velocity rounds.

"Surprised?", Faxx shouted once the shooting let up. "These two guns are the prototypes for Murphy & Daniels' own! How fitting that OCP had _left _them laying here with all its _other _wondrous inventions!"

"I _thought _this place looked familiar!", Johnson says.

"How so, Johnson?", Minnie-May asked.

"We're inside the OCP Building itself! I came down here to this portion of it almost every day during my reign here!"

"Ten floors below street level!", Gray Jr. says. "What better place to make as your _tombs?_"

Gray Jr. let loose a couple more rounds.

"Sorry, Junior! _We'll _schedule for our _own _funerals on _our _time, thank you very much!", Rally said, unleashing a few rounds from her CZ-75 in Faxx & Gray Jr.'s direction. Both felons duck behind the wall to avoid being shot. Reed & Roy offer her backup until the young Gunsmith holds her hand up to signal a cease-fire. For close to thirty seconds, no sound or return fire from the deadly duo.

But neither the two hardened officers _or _Gunsmith Cats have survived this long by taking foolish chances.

"May…", Rally said softly.

"Got it, Rally!", May answered back the same way, taking a grenade from her person & pulling the pin just before rolling it into the next room. Five seconds later, the grenade went off with a medium bang & filled the room with thick smoke. If Dr. Faxx & Gray Jr. were still in that room, they'd be coughing up a storm at anytime now. Rally, Reed & Roy ready their guns at the first sign of their faces. Even Minnie-May arms herself with another grenade - a _real _one.

Unfortunately, neither one showed up even after fifteen to twenty seconds.

"Nothing!", said Roy. "Something tells me they flew the coop long _before _May's little smoke surprise!"

"You don't think they've fled the _building_ to get away, do you?", Minnie-May wondered.

"I wouldn't count on _that _being true, May!", Reed said. "Not by a long shot!"

"Neither would I, Sergeant!", Rally said. "Now that those two _have _us all here, they wish to _finish_ us off in this place!"

"Yes, their own sick version of the legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corrall!", Johnson says. "They won't stop until they _do _make this place our damn graves!"

"Then let's prove to them that we've got _other _plans!", Reed said, getting nods from all. As the smokescreen dissipates, the quintet move in with senses on highest alert for any sign of their quarry. So far, all they see is a room with the last of smoke from Minnie-May's grenade & empty metal tables, along with rows of computers lined against the walls. Most were covered in clear tarps when OCP shut down, but as Faxx proved, they're still operational with lots of power coursing through them. Aside from the way they came in, there were two other doors on the far end of the room, one on each side.

But Juliette Faxx & Gray Jr. were nowhere to be seen.

"Which way should we go from _this _point?", Minnie-May asked to anyone.

"To be quite honest, Minnie-May…I haven't the foggiest notion", Johnson admits.

"Well, whatever we do, we stay as a group!", Roy said plain & simple. "We split up, they pick us off one at a time! We don't want _that!_"

"Come on out & _show _yourselves, you fucking _cowards!_", Reed shouted.

_BOOM!_

A portion of the east wall explodes in a shower of debris as the startled quintet get taken by surprise & thrown several feet by the force of the blast, hitting the floor & sliding on their sides before stopping near the opposite side of the wall.

"_Shit_, Reed! Maybe you should be more _careful _with what you _wish _for!", Rally says as her head still buzzes a bit as she finds & retrieves her gun a few feet away. Heavy metal footsteps not unlike that of RoboCop's own approach the group, & they start at the scene now facing them. It was Juliette Faxx & Gray Jr., both in new armored attire. Their legs & chests were shielded by metal guards, while both their forearms were covered by what appeared to be very large gun turrets, similar to that of an ED-209s but with three ports instead of two. A missile port on each turret held three mini rockets, with one still smoking from Dr. Faxx's. A pair of thick tubes were attached which led to a large metal harness that Faxx & Gray Jr. wear as backpacks. Over the upper part of their faces were a mask that resembled a human skull without the lower jaw, with a red laser beam for making precise hits.

"Yes, Sergeant Reed! You _should!_", Gray Jr. said, grinning evily.

"_Fuck!_ Are _those_ suits what I _think _they are?!", Johnson says, as stunned as the rest.

"Indeed, Johnson!", said Faxx, her grin as wide as her partner's. "A pair of battle suits which never saw the light of day until now! Equipped with automatic machine-gun fire that can shoot 500 rounds per minute, a trio of rockets on each turret & laser sighting, it's a war soldier's dream come true! Why you & the higher-ups decided to mothball this grand invention is beyond us, mister!"

"But don't worry! We're going to put these babies to some _very _good use!", Gray Jr. said, raising his right arm as Faxx raises her left.

Then they started shooting.

_140 stories above street level:_

The elevator that rose Daniels up opens its doors to allow its cybernetic passenger out. He exits on the 140th floor of the building, with the ones overhead being heavily damaged from the blast by Kanemitsu's robot ninjas that destroyed twenty yards at the top, & then some. This room Daniels now occupies is the last one that's 'stable enough' to be in. Taking a look down both hallways, he waits for the inevitable arrival _of _his rival & draws one of his guns from his left leg. Like Murphy said before, he probably _can't _damage him too heavily with his weapon, much less bring him down with it, but it would still feel satisfying to shoot at something to dispense all his pent-up anger.

And since his two associates - Dr. Juliette Faxx & Gray Jr. - are busy chasing down Rally Vincent & her friends, Murphy will do just fine.

Twenty-four seconds later, a second ping goes off, & Daniels aims his gun at the opposite elevator door.

It opens up. To Daniels' surprise, he finds it empty.

Gun in hand, the cyborg colonel steps closer to the elevator car & peeks inside. Murphy was nowhere to be seen, but Daniels knows he followed him up in pursuit.

He was _counting _on it; no way would Murphy chicken out, he knew.

_So why send up an empty car? Unless…_, Daniels thought, considering the possibility that Murphy sent it up as a decoy & is approaching him by another means.

_He might be coming up the stairs!_, he finished his thought, turning to exit. Before he can fully exit, the elevator car's roof bends downwards as Murphy crashes & swings down from it by the cable attached & rams his feet into Daniels' chest, knocking him to the floor & his gun out of his hand. Taken off-guard, Daniels reaches for his weapon but Murphy puts an end to that option by stomping down on it & smashing it to pieces. The two cyborgs look up & down at each other with both respect & disdain.

"Let's finish this…man to man!", Murphy said.

"Yes…let's!", said Daniels. Grabbing his enemy's legs, Daniels tosses him into a wall & makes a large dent in it. Getting to his feet, he takes hold of Murphy by the throat & plows him through into the room behind it, both their metal hides being covered in debris & sheetrock dust. The room was fairly large, with three sets of tables in a vertical row & surrounded by chairs. A panel of monitors was on the left, & to their right was a row of windows that gave a spectacular view of the city of Detroit.

Were they not beating each other senseless, Murphy & Daniels might enjoy the scenery.

Struggling to get up, Murphy lands a powerful jab into Daniels' solar plexus, doing no kind of damage. Daniels gives his foe a hard right knee into Murphy's face before giving him a powerful uppercut with his right fist that sends Murphy flying across the room & landing onto one table end, shattering it to splinters & busting a few of the chairs with it. Daniels marches on towards his downed foe, but Murphy doesn't stay that way for long: grabbing what was left of the table, he effortlessly swings it like a giant baseball bat at Daniels once he's within range. The table shatters with a loud crack, sending him into a grove of chairs & up against the wall. Murphy gets back on his feet & walks towards his enemy, careful not to approach too closely.

He stops when he gets ten feet from him.

"Why, Daniels?", he asks him.

"Why _what_, Murphy?", Daniels says, rising slowly. Murphy watches his every move as he does.

"Why do you continue to go on as you do? From what I've seen in the video footage, you were all but _repulsed _by what Bob Morton & his OCP staff made you into, & more than showed your displeasure of it."

"What you say is correct, I admit. I highly _loathed _& _despised _being made into a machine - at first."

"At first?", Murphy asks, tilting his head slightly.

"Yes", Daniels went on. "When Dr. Juliette Faxx revived me not too long ago, she showed me at what a _gift _this body of mine is! When I served in the Army, I saw brave strong men getting slaughtered out on the battlefield! I even watched in sheer horror as an armada of some of our _best _soldiers got caught in a biohazardous trap by the enemy, & saw their bodies wither away & die by the toxin! By placing me inside this body, I am immune to it all! Think of it, Murphy: you & I are practically _immortal_, safe from old age, disease, infection, & earthly desires! We are basically _gods _among mortal men!"

Daniels stays silent for a while to let Murphy sink it all in.

"How about _you_, Murphy?", Daniels continues. "_You _didn't get on your knees & rejoice to the gifts bestowed upon you! No, you _curse _them for it, & so you fought to regain control of your 'soul' after it was taken away!"

"When OCP made me into _this_, they took away my past, my family, & everything else that meant the _world _to me!", Murphy explains.

"From what _I _understand, it was Clarence Boddicker & his pack of mad, wild dogs that did that!"

"And it was OCP's science & technology that _denied _me a peaceful rest in the cemetery! They resurrected me to be used as a _tool_ for their personal goals in climbing high on the ladder of success! And for a short while, that's _all _I was until I regained my former identity!"

"But you found out that the man & machine are _not _so different, did you? So did I: we saw that while the nature between flesh & metal have their high & low points, they still understand what the merger was for - to eradicate a disease called crime! And _that _is what our pourpose in life is all about, Murphy! You _can _see that, can't you?"

"I only see _part _of your argument, Colonel: whether as man _or _machine, I see that this body _is _a gift used to wipe out crime & stop it dead in its tracks! But _you?_ All that _you _used it for was exacting _vengeance _upon those whom _you _feel did you & Dr. Faxx wrong. People like the CEO of OCP, Shyster Holzgang, Dr. Schenck, the Old Man & even Marvin Kuzak! _Not _to mention Donald Johnson, Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins! To use the body we both now inhibit for settling personal vendettas is a _blasphemy _of all it symbolizes! _That _is why _you _shall _never _bear the title of RoboCop, & _why _I must _stop _you!"

"You will _try!_", Daniels barks before charging after Murphy again like an enraged bull who's just seen red in its vision. Even though Murphy anticipated such an action, it still caught him by surprise: Daniels' forward momentum was more than he calculated, & he drove the officer backwards several feet before landing a right jab to the side of his head, disorienting him partly. Daniels follows the maneuver up with a barrage of punches & kicks all across his body, each hit sounding like he was getting beaten by jackhammers. Under the thunderous assault, Murphy started losing his footing, & before long went down on his hands & knees. The cyborg colonel picks up Murphy by his neck & between his legs & holds him over his head as he walks over to one of the windows.

A 140-story drop is what awaits him.

"You put up a good fight, Murphy!", Daniels says. "But now it ends! See that tanker truck down below?"

Murphy uses his binocular vision to see the vehicle parked right across the street from the building.

"You plan to throw me into it!", Murphy surmised.

"Correct!", Daniels said. "Even if the crash doesn't destroy you into spare parts from the impact, the explosion will blow you into a heap of smoldering wreckage! As with Humpty Dumpty himself, all the King's men won't be able to put _you _back together again!"

That's when Murphy grabs hold of Daniels' right arm with both hands.

"Or you _either_, for that matter!", Murphy says. "Go ahead, Colonel - throw me out of the window if you dare! You will send us _both _plummeting into that tanker & destroy us into flaming spare parts together! Then _neither _of us will garner the title of RoboCop, & _all_ of your endeavors shall be in vain!"

Daniels takes a good look at the tanker below, then at Murphy again. His hands have a firm grip on his arm, & the colonel can tell that any attempt to throw him out with his enemy still clasped onto him _will_ cause both to plummett to their destruction even if they _don't _hit the tanker & detonate it.

"Nice strategy!", Daniels praised.

"Thank you!", Murphy said, accepting.

Next, Daniels body slams Murphy onto the floor, causing the tile underneath to crack & for him to release his grip on his opponent's arm as Daniels now kicks him with a mighty right foot, but away from the window & into another table. Rising from the floor, Murphy grabs the table & rams it right into Daniels, hitting him in the chest. The impact caused the table to crack & split as Murphy continues pushing it into his charging opponent, who tears it into useless timbers the closer he approaches. When Daniels gets to Murphy's end, the cyborg cop catches his enemy off-guard with a left fist that knocks him over several steps.

"_My_ turn!", Murphy said, assaulting Daniels with a series of punches & kicks, repaying him for the beating he received from him before. Each hit was similar to the ones Daniels gave to Murphy, with a few new thrown in. To add insult to injury, Murphy picks Daniels up in the same way he did & throws him onto the third & final table in the room, breaking it right in half when he hits. Amazingly, Daniels is still able to get up as Murphy knocks one half of the broken table away & delivers a right fist to Daniels' face.

To the officer's surprise, the cyborg colonel catches it in his left fist.

"You _forget_, Murphy!", Daniels says with a sinister smile. "I was a high-ranking Colonel in the U.S. Army! _I _know moves cops _don't!_"

To punctuate his claim, Daniels places his right hand on Murphy's chest & lifts him up & over into the console of monitors, smashing several in a shower of glass & sparks as the monitors flash briefly before shorting out completely. Dazed by the abrupt move, Murphy struggles to get up but Daniels beats him to it & shoves his enemy into the already weakened wall, smashing a hole into it as both combatants ram into & out of the room, debris & dust filling the air. Murphy was on his back, but Daniels was already on the rise & finds a sizable stone that was knocked from the wall & uses all his robotic strength to lift & send it crashing down on his enemy's chest, keeping him pinned under its weight.

Victorious, Daniels stares down at his fallen foe & shakes his head in mock sympathy.

"You're a damn _fool_, Murphy!", he says. "You can't deny the fact that you're just like me! You've been granted near-limitless power by OCP, & yet you don't use it to its fullest potential! You're a _sham _of the RoboCop program!"

"I'm _nothing _like you, Colonel Daniels!", Murphy pointed out. "_I _use this body to uphold the law & protect the innocent with! _I'm _not the one who uses it to do senseless killing simply because he _can!_ If _anyone _is guilty of being a sham of what we're a part of, it's _you!_"

Daniels stands still & quiet, as if to ponder his enemy's words, & he kneels down.

"You know something, Murphy…you're right!", he says after twenty seconds. "We _are _nothing alike! You're from the Police Department, I'm from the Armed Services! Plus, I've lost _everything _when I was made into what you now see me as - my life, my career, even my _family!_ And you? At least you still have _your _wife & kid alive & well, wheras mine are both now resting in their _graves!_ But I'll tell you what, Murphy: as a gesture of good faith, once I proclaim my rightful place as the one true RoboCop…" Daniels flashes another sinister smile. "I think I'll go & pay Ellen & young Jimmy a visit to…keep them company, if you catch my meaning!"

Like a prize fighter who's gotten his second wind, Murphy rises from his bed of debris & shoves a stone in his face, shattering it.

"_Don't you fucking TOUCH them!_", Murphy shouted in a rage he's hardly known before. He punctuates the word 'touch' with a powerful right fist to his foe's face that sends him staggering back into the room. Murphy dared not let up on his fresh assault on Daniels, one that was ten times more fierce than previously. Each blow made a serious dent on Daniels wherever they landed at. Grabbing the deranged colonel from the rear, Murphy shoves him forward into a portion of the wall & sends him crashing through, creating another hole & back out into the hallway. With a sheer loathing he hadn't experienced since facing Clarence Boddicker & his gang, Murphy rammed Daniels again & again into the walls on either side, creating craters & slamming literal iron fists & feet into the cyborg colonel, causing sparks with every hit he inflicts upon him.

Finally, they reach the twin elevators that brought them up to the 140th floor, & Murphy plows Daniels into the left one, bending the metal door like it was tin foil. Daniels' systems read massive damage to his person & a power loss of more than 20%. Murphy places himself on top of him, pinning him down with his weight.

Still, Daniels remains defiant against all odds.

"Don't you _get it_, Murphy?", he says. "Like Dr. Faxx said about you, you're an obsolete relic! A _dinosaur!_ You may have helped to make Detroit safe again in the past, but you…_ungh!_"

A fist in his face shuts Daniels up as Murphy picks up on his thoughts as he deploys his gun & brandishes it in his enemy's face.

"Will _continue _to function as this city's protector, as long as filthy scum such as _you _think you can do whatever the hell you _want!_ _You_, Colonel Aaron Daniels, are the _perfect _example of an _improper _use of the RoboCop program, & if you or even Dr. Faxx dare to believe that you can _ever _take my place as the _next _'Future of Law Enforcement', then _no way _will I step aside to allow your brand of justice to plague this fine city, or anywhere else! You've given me a hard reprimand of why I _must _keep on fighting the good fight for those who cannot! For_ that_, Colonel Daniels, I suppose I should _thank _you!"

"So what are you going to do _now_, Murphy? Shoot me?", Daniels asked as if daring him.

"Tempting…but I've got a _better _idea!", the cyborg cop replied, aiming his gun at the ceiling of the damaged elevator car. Using his targeting systems, he aims his weapon right underneath the cables. Daniels catches on, & tries to talk him out of it.

"Murphy, _don't!_", he pleads. "Shoot that cable which holds this car up, & we'll plummett all the way down! The impact might shatter us into spare parts!"

"If _that's _what it takes to stop you from killing _more _people, then so _be _it!", Murphy said steely. Behind his wrecked helmet, Colonel Daniels' eyes go wide as Murphy fires a couple shots from his Auto-9, snapping the cable.

Both cyborgs go plunging down the shaft at top speed.

**CHAPTER IX**

_The OCP sub-basement:_

Rally & company all barely dived to safety when Faxx & Gray Jr. started blasting away in their new hi-tech battle armor, firing a volley of high-powered rounds from their gun muzzles. Everywhere the rounds hit shattered glass & other objects too weak in structure which couldn't stand up to the bullets' velocity. Rally, Roy & Sergeant Reed fired off a couple rounds from their own firearms, but each hit struck metal instead of flesh, bouncing off harmlessly as Faxx & Gray Jr. literally laugh it off & commence shooting.

Hiding behind a counter that begins getting shredded, the three gunners contemplate on what to do next, with Minnie-May & Johnson taking shelter behind another.

"Shit! Everything we throw at them, they shrug it off like it was _nothing!_", Reed shouted over the gunfire.

"And that bitch Faxx _still _has my Desert Eagle 50 AE Caliber in her grip!", Rally shouts. "All I have is my CZ-75 plus three spare clips for it!"

"Not much to go on!", Roy shouted, turning to Johnson. "How come nobody's ever used that armor before, Johnson?"

"Because those bastards at OCP didn't think anyone's life was worth 20 grand!", Johnson shouted back. "So they mothballed the shit!"

_Typical!_, Rally, Roy, Reed & even Minnie-May all thought to their dismay.

"So _now _what?!", Reed shouted.

"Now, Sergeant, we play _hardball!_", Johnson said, turning to Minnie-May, who nods. The young blonde reaches into her pockets & pulls out a pair of grenades. She holds them up for the gang to see, all of whom nod their approval. Pulling the pin on the one in her left hand with her teeth, Minnie-May tosses it on her left at the firing felons, being careful to avoid getting hit by a bullet. When Faxx & Gray Jr. see the oncoming pineapple, they dive for cover themselves, their armor clanging on the floor.

But they didn't get far when the thing goes off with a playful 'pop', acting like nothing more than a metal balloon & leaving no trace of its existence.

"What the fuck kind of grenade was _that?!_", Faxx wondered.

"_That_, Dr. Faxx, was one of Minnie-May's specials…no shrapnel!", Johnson said with a smirk, turning to the young blonde with a wink. Minnie-May winks back.

"The damn thing was a _dud?!_", Gray Jr. snapped.

"Yeah…but _this _one _isn't!_", Minnie-May said, throwing her other grenade once she pulled the pin. The thing rolls towards both armored felons, who scramble to escape the inevitable blast. Only quick reflexes save them from becoming paste - armor or not - as they make their way back into the room behind them before the grenade went off, taking a chunk of the wall with them. A cloud of dust covers them briefly, along with some pieces of debris striking their armor. When it settles, they turn back to the room with stabbing eyes & more hate.

"So, they want to fuck with _explosives _now, do they?!", Gray Jr. snapped.

"Let's show them that _we _can retaliate in kind!", Faxx says, grinning. Gray Jr. does the same, & they both raise their arms. From each port, the group launch a single mini rocket on both of their forearms, totaling four in all. The rockets streak across the room & into the next, all of which explode simultaneously in a sizable blast. The vibrations were felt by both antagonists, even _with _their armament on.

They wait until the room was clear of most of the smoke.

"Now _that_ was quite the rush!", Gray Jr. said, grinning widely. "It'll be even _more _worth it in seeing those assholes & bitches in bloody _pieces!_"

"Let's go & _view_ the charred remains, what do you say?", Faxx suggested with a smile like poison.

"Ha! Try & _stop _me!", Gray Jr. said, entering the room with Dr. Faxx taking the rear. The room was in total ruins as tables, chairs & equipment were blown to pieces & littered the floors almost everywhere. Using their laser sightings, Faxx & Gray Jr. scour the area to find anything which can identify their enemies' remains, guns at the ready.

But no matter where they looked, neither of them found one piece of an arm, leg, hand, foot or anything else that resembled a body part; there wasn't even one drop of blood.

Anywhere.

"How can this _be?_", Gray Jr. said softly but hard. "We didn't hit a damn _thing _that looks like those pigs, & there's only one way _in _this room!"

"Maybe we buried them under all this debris!", Faxx said. "Let's look for them!"

Gray Jr. nods & starts pushing debris away, frantically searching for a face he can blow away with his guns. But he & Dr. Faxx hear a scraping from above, & when they look up they find a panel in the ceiling come down, followed by Detective Roy Coleman & Sergeant Reed who come crashing down onto them with all their weight. The momentum of their fall was enough to bring Faxx & Gray Jr. to the floor with them, landing with a clang on the hard tiles. As Roy handles Dr. Faxx, Reed tackles Gray's dangerous kid. Both officers remove their face masks & toss them aside as they struggle on the floor.

"You dirty _bitch!_", Roy barks at Faxx. "A lot of good officers _died _when you place a madman's brain inside your little pet project! If only _I'd _been there…!"

"It _still _would've made no difference, Detective!", Faxx spat. "Cain was of _no use _to our society, so I made him into a functioning _member _of it!"

"Yeah? And look at how _that_ turned out!", Roy said, landing a hard fist in Faxx's face.

Reed lands one in Gray Jr.'s own in their scuffle.

"I suppose it _is _true what they say: the apple really _doesn't _fall very far from the tree!", Reed snapped, struggling with his young adversary. "You're _just like _your old man, only _worse_, if that's even _possible!_"

"_Fuck you!_", Gray Jr. spat back. "You weren't there when that filthy whore Rally Vincent shot & killed my father! She could've left him alive & sent him to prison, but _noooo_…she had to do what she _always _does to those she goes after - shoot to kill!"

"Cry me a river, sonny! It ain't _my _problem!", Reed punctuated with a swift hard fist in his face. Usually a hit like that would make any suspect give in & surrender, but Gray Jr. was too perked up on adrenaline - and revenge - to make him see reason with anything else. Looking at Dr. Faxx, she nods as he does the same. With swift precision, both armored felons throw Reed & Roy into each other as they collide in a tumble, giving Faxx & Gray Jr. time to get back on their feet & swat both officers with a powerful arm. The blow hits them in the chest & sends them knocked back several feet, landing on their sides. Even _with _their protective vests on & inside their clothing, the blows still hurt & left them partially stunned.

Standing with venomous grins, Faxx & Gray Jr. stare down at the beaten officers, their arms raised.

"Nice try, officers! You _almost _had us there, disappearing up into the ceiling like that!", Gray Jr. said.

"But too bad for _you _that 'almost' doesn't really count!", said Faxx. "Any last words?"

"Blow me!", Roy & Reed spat, scowling.

Faxx & Gray Jr. look at each other & smirk, mildly amused.

"As you both wish!", Gray Jr. says.

"But not in the way you _want _us to!", Faxx said.

"Hey asshole, bitch…you haven't forgotten about _us_, have you?"

Minnie-May's voice caused the two armored felons to turn around to see her, Johnson & Rally standing outside the room right at the doorway. No doubt _they _were in the ceiling as well, & when Roy & Reed jumped down to tussle with them, those three came out & slipped away unnoticed. Faxx & Gray Jr. can't decide on whether they were clever or stupid.

"Not bad, but you all should've gotten away from here when you had the _chance!_", Gray Jr. says, aiming his guns at them as Faxx did the same.

"Too late now…_hey!_", Faxx says as Roy & Reed rush past them to rejoin their friends. The move caught both felons by surprise for only a moment before re-aiming their gun hands. Before a single shot can be fired, their ears catch the sound of a slight beeping which grew in intensity with each passing second. It took a moment or two to realize that the sound was coming from close by.

In fact, it was _very _close by!

They both turn their heads to look behind them, & they discover that the beeping was coming from _on their very own persons!_

After coming down from the ceiling, Minnie-May Hopkins placed a wad of explosives on each of their armor's backs with a timer, & now the beeping was at a steady noise.

Faxx & Gray Jr's eyes go wide.

"_SHIT!_", they shouted.

Neither one could do anything: the explosives Minnie-May planted on their backs went off, sending them flying forward as if being pushed by a giant hand or fist. They only _did _have time to put their arms in front of their unprotected faces when they smashed through the wall on either side of the entrance. Debris sprayed all over as Faxx & Gray Jr. landed hard on their chests with a clang as sparks began erupting everywhere on their suits, followed by malfunctions in the joints. With some difficulty, Faxx & Gray Jr. worked to get their malfunctioning armament off before the damage extends to & leaves them in critical condition, or worse.

As luck would have it, neither of the armored suits exploded & killed them, but are ruined beyond repair. They were _also _lucky that the blast was mostly withheld by the armor, which took the brunt of it & spared them from death.

"That dirty little _slut!_", Faxx spat, getting the last of her armor off. "I can't _believe _we fell for that shit, & like a couple of goddamn first-class _rookies!_"

"I _told _you what to expect from her, Doc…from _both _of them!", Gray Jr. said, removing the last of _his _suit. "They may be young girls, but they're unlike _any _you've ever seen! I _also _told you to _never _underestimate them!"

"You're right, hon…my bad!", Faxx said, going into her coat & removing the Desert Eagle 50 AE Caliber she took from Rally. "But, as resourceful as they are, they're _still _only human, & can _die _like one!"

"Got _that _right!", Gray Jr. said, pulling out his own weapon of choice - a Glock 17 Caliber handgun. "I'm tired of using all the fancy gimmicks, Doc! I say we _end _this the old-fashioned way!"

"Agreed!", Faxx said. "They may be heading for the elevators to escape! Let's get to & kill them before they can!"

Nodding, Gray Jr. & Dr. Faxx head straight for the room where they tried the transfer of Murphy & Daniels. When they arrive, Faxx enters first with her gun drawn out in front of her, ready to blow the head off the first one she sees. Almost immediately upon entering, her weapon & arm get snatched by Rally Vincent who brings Faxx down to the floor with her in a brutal catfight. When Gray Jr. goes in to assist his business partner & lover, he gets an unwelcome by both Reed & Roy as the former grabs him by the front of his shirt at the same time the latter gets his gun out of his hands. Gray Jr. retaliates by a swift hard kick to Roy's solar plexus with his right leg, knocking him to the floor & the wind out of him temporarily.

"Bad move, son! _That _shit's gonna cost you!", Reed barked, throwing him to the floor as the young fugitive still fights frantically.

"Like I _give _a fuck, old man!", Gray Jr. spat. "He's a friend of those two bitches, & any friend of _theirs _is an enemy of _mine!_"

"_Any _friend of theirs? Then start counting, junior, because that list just got bigger than you can imagine!", Reed says, throwing punches.

Rally & Faxx's fight reaches a fever pitch.

"You know what I _hate_, Faxx?!", Rally barks, struggling with her foe for control of the gun. "Those who think they're _so _powerful, they can step on the little guy! It's _one _of the reasons as to _why _I became what I am!"

"Really, Miss Vincent?!", Faxx shot back. "I thought it was because you enjoy the thrill of the chase, going after those who skipped their bail! That, _and _your precious guns, which dear old _daddy _left for you to take care of after he _left _your sorry ass! You should've taken to the _violin_, like your _mother _wanted you to!"

Faxx's grin was all Rally could take.

"You _fucking whore!_", Rally spat, clobbering Faxx with a series of punches. "Don't you _ever _talk about my parents like you _know _them! _You hear me?!_"

Rally got in two more punches before Faxx gives one of her own to Rally right in the chin, throwing her senses off-balance temporarily to give Faxx the advantage she needed. With a hard thrust, Faxx places Rally on her back & places the 50 AE Caliber on her forehead.

"If you'd _just _listened to your mother, you'd be playing at Carnegie Hall right about now, making millions!", Faxx said. "But now…you're about to die!"

"Not _today_, she isn't!", Johnson barked, throwing himself onto Faxx & getting her off of Rally before she could pull the trigger. Knocking the gun from her grip, Johnson lands a punch to Faxx's right cheek, causing her to squirt blood before the black man grabs her by the throat with both hands.

Then he started to squeeze with all his might.

"You _always _thought you were invincible, didn't you, Faxx?!", he growled, putting more pressure on her throat & cutting off her air. "Well, I got _news_ for you…_you're not!_ All you were - and _still _are - is an ambitious & spoiled little _bitch _who only cared about herself! Not anymore! I'm gonna _kill _you, Doctor! And _this _time, you won't have the Old Man to _save _your sorry ass since you sicced your pet cyborg on him! Ironic, don't you think?!"

Faxx's eyes start to go into her skull.

"Johnson, _no!_", Minnie-May begs. "Don't do it, please! Don't become like her! It's not worth throwing your career away!"

"Like _hell _it isn't!", Johnson barked.

"Listen to her, Johnson!", Roy said, coming up to him. "I know how you must be feeling towards her, but lowering yourself down to her level is _not _the way! You've been granted a true fresh start as the new president of Silverman Robotix! To throw it all away for something as trivial & meaningless as revenge is a _fool's _errand!"

"And Donald Johnson? He's _no fool!_", Rally adds.

"_Please _let it go, Johnson! I can't _bear _to see you give up a promising new life!", Minnie-May pleads. Johnson turns to her & sees tears flowing through her eyes, making him think good & hard about what she, Rally & Roy said. All were in their right minds, but it was Minnie-May who made him cease his assault on Faxx: the tears in her eyes were more than he could stand.

Deeply moved, he let the rogue doctor go as Faxx gasped for air.

"Holy shit! What did I almost…", Johnson started to say when Minnie-May ran up to & hugged him. "Minnie-May, I…"

"Easy, Johnson", she sobbed. "We just wanted to stop you from doing something you'd regret later."

"I'm glad you did. Thank you", Johnson said, wiping tears away from May's eyes. The blonde Gunsmith smiles at him. "That goes for you too, Rally, Detective Coleman."

"No problem", Rally said, smiling.

"Think nothing of it, Johnson", Roy said in the same manner. "All part of the job."

"Like _yuck!_ This mushy shit's liable to make me _puke!_", Gray Jr. says, being taken over roughly by Reed.

"_Shut _the hell up, punk!", Reed says, throwing the young fugitive on the floor & checks his back pockets. "I seem to have misplaced my cuffs. Oh wait…_there_ they are!"

The group turns to the floor & see multiple handcuffs, the ones Faxx & Gray Jr. used on them.

"Allow _me_, Sergeant Reed, I'm closer to…what the hell's that noise?", Roy started to say when a low sound catches their ears which grew exponentially with each moment that passes. They all turn to the twin elevators as the sound was now a loud screeching, sounding like a giant bird before it ceases a second or two later - just before the doors on the left side come flying off with a crash!

The force of the crash blew the door off & soared past the startled group of criminals & crime-fighters alike, smashing into the wall & getting itself stuck halfway through, missing the monitor by less than a foot. Next came a sound of clanging metal, & out stepped two mechanical men, one of which Rally & her group were happy to see.

"Murphy!", they said proudly, even as he was engaged in a fisticuff brawl with Daniels who now throws a right punch to Murphy's face. The cyborg cop snatches it with his left which stunned the cyborg colonel.

"You may know more moves that I do, Daniels, but _never _underestimate one who grew up in the rough streets of his own neighborhood!", Murphy says, striking his enemy with a powerful right hook & following it up with a blow from his right arm, one that sent him soaring through the air & lands next to the monitor on the opposite side. Faxx & Gray Jr. use the confusion to run over to Daniels' side before anyone could snag them. The cyborg colonel strains to get up, his systems receiving many massive hits from his cop counterpart.

RoboCop turns to Rally & company.

"Forgive my sudden 'dropping in', but it is good to see you all alive & well", he says.

"Same here, Murphy! Are _you _ever a sight for sore eyes!", said Minnie-May with a smile.

Murphy returns the gesture.

Colonel Daniels rises fully to his feet with some assistance in his two partners in crime. All of Murphy's group turn towards them as Reed & Roy aim their guns at Faxx & Gray Jr.

"You two just cool your jets & don't even _think _of taking off or doing anything funny!", Reed warned. "Now _raise them!_"

The two comply with the sergeant's orders & put their hands up, scowling.

"And don't _you _try any funny shit either, Daniels!", Rally said, aiming her retrieved 50 AE Caliber at the blue & white cyborg's chest. "I'm sure that you remember what _this _little baby can do to you, yes? I _doubt _you'd want to experience _that _kind of torture again!"

Underneath his visor, Daniels scowls & his mouth becomes a sneer. He knows she spoke the truth, & he didn't need his scanners to tell him that: one grueling experience from her Desert Eagle was more than enough, & he didn't wish to go through another round of torture from that very same firearm.

"Good work, you three", Murphy said, walking up to the monitor. "Keep them at bay: I have something to show everyone, particularly the Colonel himself."

With his right hand, Murphy extends his stiletto & jams it into an open port. The monitor came to life to show a video of Dr. Faxx & a young man in his early thirties in a screening room. Faxx was in her white lab coat with a pair of thin rubber gloves on her hands, while the man was attired in a dark blue suit, a rolling chair near the middle of the room as the video was in 'pause' mode. Most didn't know the man, but to Johnson & Faxx herself, he was as recognizable as the Old Man was.

"Eric Smalls?!", Johnson says in shock.

"He was that 'top psychiatrist' you mentioned to us before, wasn't he?", Roy asked, getting a nod from the black man.

"The same one who committed suicide?", Rally asked. Johnson nodded again.

"The very same", Murphy said without turning.

"How did you get this?", Daniels asked. "And what does this have to do with _me?_"

"I received this bit of information during our little dance upstairs", Murphy said, facing him with his head. "It has _everything _to do with you, something Dr. Faxx neglected to mention, let alone _show _you. Permit me."

Murphy turned back to the screen & began playing the video.

Faxx turned to Eric.

"So Dr. Smalls, was it accomplished?", Faxx asked.

"In full, Dr. Faxx", Eric said. "Unlike what I did to his wife & daughter, I had shot Colonel Aaron Daniels in the shoulder right above his heart, keeping him _just _alive until I can drive him here to OCP. He's now being kept in the hospital ward until Mr. Morton & his crew are ready for him for his 'Project RoboCop'."

Faxx smiled her venomous smile.

"Very good, Smalls", she said. "You've earned every penny I paid you; first to take care of Daniels' wife & daughter along with that fugitive held up at their house, thus framing both Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins, & then you get me Daniels himself. Even if those two bounty hunter bitches don't take the fall for their murder, we _still _get our main catch of the day. What about the gun, the M40AE?"

"Still in my vehicle", Eric replied. "I would've ditched back in Chicago, but I wanted to get Daniels here to OCP fast as I can, not wanting to take the chance of him expiring before they get his brain."

Faxx nods.

"Good thinking, Dr. Smalls. It's practically what _I _would've done, were I in your shoes", she said.

"But now that our prize has been delivered, I can easily…", Smalls started to say before Faxx cuts him off.

"No thank you, Dr. Smalls. I can handle that chore myself. I'll just dump it in the water near the old steel mill, where it'll rust beyond recognition. Oh, tell me something…does anyone else know of our ordeal?"

Eric Smalls shook his head.

"No, Dr. Faxx. I made sure our little transaction was known only between us", he said. "Nobody else knows of what transpired, not even the Old Man himself."

"Thank you, Dr. Smalls. I knew I could trust you to keep it all to yourself", Faxx said as she reaches inside a desk drawer & pulls out what Eric never expected - a silencer handgun!

"Doctor Faxx, what…?", Smalls started to say before Faxx aimed the gun at his head & squeezed the trigger. With hardly a sound, a bullet was shot & struck Smalls in the forehead as he slumps down in his chair which rolled back a few feet on its wheels. Walking up to him, Faxx places the gun in his right hand in a firm grip. Then she removes her rubber gloves & hits the button to her comm-link.

"Dr. Roosevelt? Juliette Faxx. I've just been informed that the donor for Bob Morton's 'Project RoboCop' has arrived & is waiting in the hospital ward of the building", she reports.

"That's good news, Dr. Faxx. I'll inform Mr. Morton immediately", Roosevelt said before both sign off. Faxx stares at the lifeless corpse of Eric Smalls & smiles.

"Thank you _very _much, Dr. Smalls. I'll be sure to remember you once I make it big here at this company", she cooed before exiting & closing/locking the door.

Murphy pulled out his spike & the screen went black. Everyone in the room, the white hats _and _the black hats, were stunned by the revelation.

"I don't _believe _it!", Johnson said. "That's _exactly _how we _found _Dr. Eric Smalls after we shut Daniels down that first time! Now I see his apparent 'suicide'…"

"Is now a confirmed act of cold-blooded murder", Murphy said, facing the group.

"I…I remember being shot from behind", Daniels started to say. "I also recall slipping in & out of consciousness before blacking out completely. When I awoke again…" He stares at his metal white hands. "I was inside this shell."

The cyborg colonel turned to Faxx.

"_You! You _were the one who put a hit out on my wife & daughter!", Daniels spat. "Worse, you targeted _me _for someone's science project at OCP! _Why_, Dr. Faxx?! _Why _did you do it?!"

"For the same reason why she placed Cain's brain in the RoboCop 2 Project - for her own personal gain!", Johnson said.

"Unfortunately, as you know, your own wife & daughter had become unwilling casualties in her goal!", Rally says. "And _tried_ to pin their murder on Minnie-May & myself!"

"Luckily, that didn't pan out in court like she had hoped!", Minnie-May adds with Rally shaking her head.

"I _trusted _you, Dr. Faxx!", Daniels growled. "But it turned out that I was nothing more than a goddamned _guinea pig_, with my wife & daughter _paying the ultimate price!_"

"Colonel Daniels, please!", Faxx said, backing away slowly with Gray Jr, both their hearts beating speedily. "If you'll just _listen _to me for a sec…"

"I've heard _enough _of your bullshit, Doctor! You committed acts of murder & betrayal to a Colonel of the U.S. Army! I _also _call it treason! There is no greater crime than that in _my _book, & there can be only _one _punishment!"

Daniels draws his gun from his right leg, just as Faxx & Gray Jr. take off running. The cyborg colonel takes aim at their backs.

"_No_, Colonel!", Murphy said, grabbing his arm & lowering it before one shot can be fired. "That isn't the way!"

"Because of _her_, my wife & daughter are _dead_, Murphy! Both Faxx & her accomplice must _pay!_", Daniels argues.

"And they _will_, I assure you! We'll let the _law _deal with them! As you know, I now have the indisputable evidence! Once we take them to court & present what we have discovered, they will be tried & convicted once the judge & jury see it!"

"It _still_ won't help me, Murphy!", Daniels says, lowering his gun & facing him. "I've gone & murdered many innocent people, including several police officers! Even if Faxx & Gray Jr. go down for their crimes, more likely than not _I'll _take the fall _with _them!"

"We will _vouch _for you, Colonel!"

_That _took Daniels by surprise.

"You…would all _do _that? For _me?_", he says, stunned.

"Yes."

Daniels turns to Johnson, the two officers & Gunsmith Cats, & they nod their heads.

"You had no inkling to what was _really _going on, Colonel", Reed said. "In short, _you _are as much a victim as Elaine & Jasmine were."

"And you were _more _in the dark about this whole affair than us", Roy said. "Now that it's been brought out into the light, we can use it to set things straight."

"Don't you think you've been victimized enough, Colonel?", Rally says. "_Please _trust us."

"Allow us to help you, & you'll be granted a second chance just like Johnson here has", Minnie-May adds.

"Once you have, who knows? You might get reinstated in the Army", Johnson puts in his two cents. "You can _still _have a _life _again."

For once, the cyborg colonel was at a loss for words. Since his resurrection by Dr. Juliette Faxx, all he's been doing is murdering those whom he believed did him _and _her wrong, from the Old Man to the Gunsmith Cats themselves. Most were dealt with, & those who had survived his onslaught are now trying to _help _him, despite the atrocities he'd caused. Daniels had no idea on how to respond to their offer.

"What shall it be, Colonel?", Murphy asked.

The cyborg colonel gave it thought for several seconds when two names entered his mind.

_Elaine. Jasmine_, he said to himself, making his choice clear.

"I'm sorry", he said softly.

"Please don't be, Colonel. We will explain it all to…"

Before Murphy can finish his sentence, Daniels raises his gun & fires off a shot which hits Roy in his right leg, who cries out in pain & falls to the floor, grasping his bleeding wound.

"_Detective Coleman!_", Reed & Johnson shouted.

"_Roy!_", Rally & Minnie-May shouted.

"_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_", Murphy shouted, swinging a powerful left fist into Daniels' face which smashes a piece of his visor away & exposes his right eye. Daniels falls to the floor with a clang as Murphy continues pounding away at him.

"You _monster!_", Murphy barked as his fists keep working on him, denting his armor even worse than before. "We offered you a chance at redemption, & _you throw it away!_ You're no better that Dr. Faxx _or _Gray Jr.! Now you leave me _no choice_: I'm going to put you down like the _mad dog _you _are!_"

"Actually, I _am _leaving you with a choice, Murphy!", Daniels says as the cyborg cop draws his stiletto from his right fist & raises it. Amazingly, he stops to hear what Daniels has to say. "I shot Detective Roy Coleman in the femoral vein! My scanners indicate that, unless he receives medical treatment in the next hour, he will die from severe blood loss, despite the efforts of your friends to slow it down!" Murphy turns to see Reed & Johnson tying Roy's wounds with the latter's jacket before turning back to Daniels. "The choice is now _yours_, Murphy: you can either continue to beat the metallic stuffing out of me, or get Detective Coleman to the hospital before he bleeds to death! Your move!"

Murphy wanted nothing better than to pound Daniels to a metal pulp for shooting a cop in cold blood. But then, an image appears next to him on a separate vid-screen in his vision - one of Minnie-May Hopkins, who was dressed in her pink pajamas & resting her head on his left leg & his hand place gently on her shoulder.

"…_I don't care _what _OCP made you into, because underneath that metal shell of a body, you're still - and always _will _be - human to _me_, Murphy. And neither OCP or anyone else can _ever _take that away._"

Next came an image of Rally Vincent on his side screen.

"_Minnie-May & I have always believed that no matter what a person might look like on the outside, it's what's _inside _that counts. We may not know you personally as much as Marie, Reed or the rest of Metro West do, but we _do _know that Alex Murphy has a good, caring heart along with that fierce sense of duty you carry. _That's _what _really_ defines you._"

His next - and final - image was that of Becky Farrah, standing alongside Marie Lazarus.

"_Colonel Daniels may have once served his country, but now he's a psychotic, murderous machine! _That _is _not you! _Underneath that metallic shell of a body, you are _still _Alexander J. Murphy! You're a _cop_, & a damned _good _one! Don't _ever _forget that!_"

His mini screen disappears as Daniels brings him out of his state of immobility.

"Well, Murphy? What will it be? Time is getting short for Detective Coleman!"

Murphy's decision is this: he withdraws the stiletto back into his hand & roughly releases Daniels from his other hand.

"I shall be _back _for you, Colonel!", Murphy says, walking away & heads towards Detective Coleman, his right leg wrapped in Johnson's suit coat. "Allow me, gentlemen", he says, picking up Roy in his arms.

"Take the elevator on the right. It is still operative", Daniels says after scanning it quickly. "I've also sent it back down right before my brawl with Murphy, so it should be there once you push the button."

"Can we _really _take his word for it?", Reed wondered as they all made their way towards their only means of escape.

"We don't have a _choice_, Sergeant!", Rally said with worry in her voice.

"Not with Roy's _life _hanging in the balance!", Minnie-May responds in the same way.

"The girls are correct, Sergeant Reed", Murphy said as they reach the elevator. "I shall call for an ambulance on our way up."

Johnson presses the 'up' button. Almost immediately the doors swing open as Daniels said that they would & they all enter in a rush. Another push, & the doors close as the elevator car rises upwards, leaving Daniels all alone with his new targets.

Gray Junior & Dr. Juliette Faxx.

_I'm coming for you both!_, he thought with eagerness.

Gun still in hand, he begins his search for them.

_OCP sub-level basements, forty-five minutes later:_

Daniels searched the floor thoroughly, finding evidence of battle consisting of bullet holes & blasts caused by rocket fire. He also found tons of debris splayed almost everywhere he looked in trying to find his prey.

But they were nowhere to be found on this level, even with the use of his scanners.

So he did the same on the other floors. But the next four were as empty as sub-level ten in locating Dr. Faxx & Gray Jr.

The _next _level, however, he detects heat signatures from within the entire floor. His temp readings show the room in excess of 98 degrees, making it like a sauna. After scanning the other levels for heat signatures, he finds none other with that temperature. Therefore, he surmised that Faxx & Gray Jr. are hiding within those walls in order to hide from Daniels' scanners, making an accurate thermograph impossible.

_Nice try, you two! You almost gave me the slip with that maneuver…almost!_, Daniels thought with a smirk as he makes his way up towards the room by the stairs. His gun placed out in front, he opens the door & has the intense heat hit him in full force as he enters. Daniels had guessed that Faxx & Gray Jr. may have ruptured a line somewhere & spilled the humidity inside the whole level, or simply raised the temperature up all the way & kept it there.

Were Daniels still flesh & blood, he'd be sweating like a hog.

In spite of the high heat, Daniels was still able to see perfectly as there was no steam in the room at all. He just isn't able to scan for them with his thermograph due to the temperature, so he'll have to find them manually.

Not that Daniels had a _problem _with that.

"Dr. Faxx! Gray Jr.! I know you both are on this level!", he calls out. "Come out of hiding now, & I'll make it quick & painless! Any further delays will only contribute you to a slower & much more agonizing death!"

He steps in a room with low lighting, but can still see the place has all kinds of equipment within, ranging from computers & monitors to tools for welding & repairing. Along the walls & on the ceiling were a few pipes that ran vertically & horizontally. Approaching two large cabinets on either side of him, Daniels steps past them & checks them both in case his prey were hiding behind them. Finding nothing, he takes a couple more steps forward until he hears a slight scrape of metal from behind him.

As he turns around, he gets struck by a pair of powerful electrical currents that jolts him from head to toe!

The powerful jolts cause Daniels to crash to the floor as Dr. Faxx & Gray Jr. step out of the twin cabinets which hid them from view, dressed now in just their shoes, shorts & shirts to adapt with the high heat they set up. In their hands was a high-powered electrical rod they were using to send shocks of electricity through Daniels' body, who moans with pain as his systems read a list of numerous warnings ranging from insulation shields plummeting to power levels doing the same as his vision becomes fuzzy in spots. Through it all, Daniels could not get his gun trained on either of them.

"You wanted us to come out of hiding, tin man, so here we are!", Gray Jr. said. "But it won't be _us _who'll be contributing to a slow & agonizing death!"

"You goddamned _fool!_", Faxx barked over the shocks. "I brought your metallic ass out of a long slumber & promised to give you what it was you've _longed _for, & _this _is the thanks I get?! A tirade of ungratefulness?! You could've had it _all_, Colonel! _ALL!_ Why throw it away?!"

"You had my wife & daughter _killed!_", Daniels growled over the shocks. "How did you _think _I was going to react when the truth came out?!"

"Isn't the loss of your own family worth it to grasp near-immortality when it's presented to you?!", Faxx asks. "You're _above _that sentimental shit, Colonel!"

"No, Dr. Faxx! It's _never _worth the loss of your loved ones for something far greater like immortality! Given the chance, I'd take my original body back & live my life as a _man_ instead of as a _machine!_"

"Then you really _are _lost, & no longer worth our time! _Goodbye_, Colonel!"

The electric shocks become more intense as Faxx & Gray Jr. turn up the wattage on their rods, making Daniels cry out in pain as his readings & systems reach critical levels. If he doesn't do something soon, he'll fry before he can exact his justice to his former associates. Raising his gun arm, he tries to aim straight but gets jolted by the electric current flowing through him. The colonel fights against it, remembering his training at Fort Bragg to push past the pain & function regularly. His targeting systems are more than slightly messed up, so regularly is how he'll have to aim his weapon. His vision still fuzzy, he aims for the nearest sign of his enemies & fires his gun, relying on luck.

Success: his few shots hit Dr. Faxx in her left arm in the shoulder, causing her to drop her rod & stagger backwards as she cries out sharply from the hit. Gray Jr. calls out her name before gritting his teeth & runs up to Daniels, ramming his rod in the center of his chest.

"You're going to _pay _for that, asshole!", Gray Jr. barked, standing over him. "I'm gonna _fry _your fucking circuits, & you ain't got the _balls _to shoot a minor, robotic colonel or not!"

"Son, you ain't got the 'balls', _period!_", Daniels says, aiming his gun at the younger felon, his vision somewhat better. Squeezing the trigger, his bullets strike the minor right in the family jewels, exploding in a shower of flesh & red as he lets out a howl of anguish as he falls to the floor like a living redwood tree, his hands grabbing where his privates used to be as blood squirts out of him like a waterfall even through his fingers.

Now that the electric current was gone, Daniels' vision became better to a degree, but his systems were all in critical condition. Despite his efforts, he was still on the brink of powering down, having been under electrical assault for too long a time. But Daniels wasn't going to give up easily, & was just as determined to deliver the final blow to his former partners in crime just before his batteries give out.

And he finds it: on the wall to his left, he finds a thick pipe attached that runs from the floor to the ceiling. Doing a quick scan, he sees that it's a power conduit that's attached to just about everything located on each of the sub-basements - computers, monitors, & so forth. Using what strength he has left, Daniels makes his way on his hands & knees over to the conduit pipe & yanks out a portion of it to expose the live wires beneath. Extending both his stilettos from his hands, he prepares to jam them in before Faxx calls out to him.

"Daniels, _no!_", she says, her fear evident in her voice. "If you stick your spikes in that pipe, not only will you destroy yourself, you'll also cause a chain reaction! The electric feedback will create an explosion that'll bring this entire _building _down upon us!"

Daniels' answer was a smirk.

"Yes, I know!", he says, wiping the smirk off his face. "To quote Frankenstein's monster, 'We belong…dead'!"

Juliette Faxx's eyes grow wide as Daniels moves his spikes closer towards the exposed wires in the conduit pipe. Even Gray Jr. ceased crying out long enough to understand the current predicament, & his eyes go as wide as Faxx's. Due to the loss of blood, neither antagonist can do anything to prevent the oncoming danger.

Neither one of them could even stand up.

Daniels' stilettos make contact with the exposed wiring.

_Henry Ford Hospital:_

As luck would have it, a medivac chopper was near the vicinity of the old OCP building as Robocop & company exited, the chopper arriving only two-three minutes after Murphy put the call out. While Detective Coleman was being airlifted to Henry Ford, Marie & Becky offered the rest a ride in their cruisers & hurried to the hospital, going almost as fast as the chopper itself. Roy was taken into intensive care once the chopper touched the roof as doctors & nurses worked frantically to cease the blood flow of the gunshot wound in his leg. Robocop & his party waited outside the surgery room as Johnson, Becky & Rally comforted a crying Minnie-May, all hoping that the news will be something good.

RoboCop stood watch as Reed & Marie sat beside him on a couch.

"Poor girl", Marie said with sympathy. "I can sympathize with her position, seeing many of our fellow officers I've known for quite a time getting shot."

"We all can, Doctor", Reed said. "But do try to remember, it's all part of the job. Every officer who puts the badge on knows that."

"Of course they do, Sarge", Marie said. "As police officers, they _accept _that…but it still doesn't mean they _like _that."

Reed nods before changing the subject a little.

"How's Manson, Strakweather, Lieutenant Hedgecock & all the others doing? Any change in _their _condition?"

"The doctors say they're doing good", Marie said. "They also say they'll all be out in a few days, although confined to a wheelchair for a while. They won't like that too much, but all things considered, it's a hell of a lot better than not being able to leave here at _all_."

"True", Reed said, nodding. "By the way…good thinking in having a medivac chopper ready at a moment's notice like you did."

"Yes. Your quick thinking may have helped to save Detective Coleman's life", RoboCop said.

"Glad to be of service", Marie said. "We had a feeling one of you might've needed it, & it looks like we were right on the money about it."

"But as to whether or not it helped save the Detective…that's all up to the doc", replied Becky. "His life's now in _his _hands."

"No worries, my dear…_my _hands are _very _skilled", the doctor said, emerging from out of the operating room in his blood-stained smock & removing his mask & gloves. The group rush up to him but give him plenty of elbow room.

"Well, Doc? How's Roy doing?", Rally asks, anxious for an answer.

"Is he gonna make it?", Minnie-May asked, wiping away tears from her eyes.

"Detective Coleman will need his rest, but considering how well we patched him up, we all expect him to recover quite nicely", said the doc. Deep breaths & sighs from most in the group were the next sound to erupt.

"Thank you, doc. That's _just _what we were all _hoping _to hear from you", Johnson said, getting nods from everyone.

"How did you manage to stop the bleeding, intense as it was?", RoboCop asked.

"We injected the Detective with a hemostatic solution to stop internal bleeding", the doc explains. "We've also added an injection of a powerful Vitamin C substance to help strengthen & heal the flesh in a simultaneous manner. We shall keep giving these injections into him as needed for the time he's here. I should point out, however, that the wound was a severe one, & had we arrived a few minutes later than we did, then we probably may not have been able to save him. Needless to say, Detective Coleman is a _very _lucky man."

"He would've bled to death?", asked Rally.

"Beyond any hope, yes. Thankfully, you put that call in just in time."

For several moments, no one could say anything. Last time Roy Coleman got injured, he only received a sore arm after a pair of ED-209s tried to blow him, Robocop & Minnie-May up at a police safe house which resulted in two officers getting killed. In this round, he nearly loses his life to a rogue RoboCop unit who's as much a victim as he was, getting shot in the leg & having a vital vein ruptured.

Bad as it was, it still could've been much worse.

But their work still wasn't done.

"We'd better get going, Sergeant Reed", RoboCop said. "Detective Coleman's shooter is still out there."

"Damn straight!", Reed replied. "Now that we know where he's held up, we'll need all the heavy armament we can rustle up…"

A sudden explosion from afar rocked the building some as people struggled to get their footing & balance.

"Was that…an explosion?", the doc asked.

"It sure _was_, doc!", Becky said. "But where did it _come _from?"

Before anyone could answer, a nurse from the front entrance came running up to the group.

"Doctor! You'd better come & _see _this!", she said, heading back to her desk. The doc, Reed & the rest follow her to the main lobby to find people staring at the overhead televisions which showed a most disturbing sight: a building coming down like the World Trade Center as smoke & debris rise up from its foundation while the structure collapses downward.

It was a building Robocop & his group knew of.

It was the abandoned OCP building.

_Daniels, you idiot!_, RoboCop thought with disdain.

"Let's roll", he said.

_The OCP ruins, thirty minutes later:_

Plumes of thick smoke still rose skywards when Robocop & his friends had arrived on the scene. The place was packed with fire personell spraying high-powered hoses on any naked open flames, & police were keeping civilians & the media back a good distance from the wreckage as officers & firefighters were assisting anyone trapped in or near the immediate area. As fate would have it, no casualties were reported so far, & only a very few folks were being treated for smoke inhalation.

Bubble-blonde Jess Perkins, dressed in a blue dress with a microphone in hand & her own cameraman next to her, was making her report.

"…as I stand in front of the ruins of the abandoned OCP building, authorities struggle to help who they can, treating them for wounds & extinguishing the rest of the fire while searching for any answers as to how & why the building to the once-proud organization should suddenly topple & crumble down to its fundation. So far, nothing has been discovered at this time."

"_We _can provide you with those answers, Miss Perkins!", Johnson called to her, getting her attention. Signaling her cameraman, Jess heads over to the former OCP exec & his group.

The professional as ever, Jess continues her report.

"I am now standing here at the OCP ruins with several officers from the Detroit Police, RoboCop, Donald Johnson, himself a former OCP employee, & Chicago's very own Gunsmith Cats themselves, Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins. Greetings, girls, & welcome to the Motor City."

"Hello, Jess Perkins", Minnie-May said, keeping her voice steady. "It's good to meet you in person, I must admit. I only wish it was under better circumstances, though."

Jess couldn't surpress a smile - the one she's well-known for.

"That's all right, sweetie. I'm used to it", she said. "Can you tell us what happened here?"

It was Rally who answered.

"Miss Perkins, it's a bit of a tragic story, so you may want to listen closely to this man", she said, turning to Johnson, who nodded.

"Miss Perkins…here's the scoop with the truth, the whole truth & nothing but", he began as she & her cameraman placed the spotlight on him.

Johnson & his friends spared no details.

**EPILOGUE**

_Woodlawn/Evergreen Cemeteries, July 4__th__, 9:00 a.m.:_

In the days that followed the OCP building disaster, cleanup crews were hard at work in sifting through the rubble & piling it into large pickup trucks to haul it off. Johnson's report of the renegade RoboCop had went on TV's 'Media Break', becoming one of the network's biggest stories in its long history, earning it some of its highest ratings. All of the bodies of the fallen officers who were killed by Colonel Daniels were all being laid to rest at this cemetery this morning, with dozens paying their respects as they honor their fallen comrades in service of their neighborhoods & departments. Sergeant Reed, of course, was one of the top attenders & always attends services for fallen officers. The same also goes for Lieutenant Hedgecock, discharged from Henry Ford Hospital & who sits patiently in his wheelchair & listening to the voice of the Father reading from his Holy Bible. With them both are Detective Roy Coleman (being on crutches), Donald Johnson, Dr. Marie Lazarus, Becky Farrah, Officers Manson & Starkweather (also wheelchair-bound), Rally Vincent, Minnie-May Hopkins & RoboCop himself. The Father finishes his speech as the bodies of the fallen officers get placed in the ground.

"…and may the bodies & souls of our fallen heroes Rest In Peace. Amen."

"Amen", came the crowd as the Father closes his Bible. A row of officers in a horizontal pattern hold their rifles up diagonally & fire off a few rounds from their superior before lowering them & dispersing along with the rest of the crowd.

Reed heads over to Manson & Starkweather.

"Boys, now that services are over, I'd like for you both to use your time to recouperate", he says.

"You want us to head home?", Manson asks as Reed nodded.

"Yes, I do. You both gave your all in this endeavor, & we couldn't be more proud of you. However, neither of you won't be any good in your current conditions. Therefore, go home, take your meds like the doctor subscribed, & return to us when you're able."

"We'll do that, Sarge…on one condition", Starkweather says.

"And that is…?"

"That we be at the fireworks display at the State Fair Grounds to night", Manson said as Starkweather nodded. "As you know, it's to salute our fallen officers along with celebrating our nation's birthday."

"We owe it to them", Starkweather said. "And perhaps Lieutenant Hedgecock might want to join us in it too."

"We'll see what my schedule says, son", Hedgecock replied with a smirk.

Manson & Starkweather nod with grins.

"And Johnson?", Manson says, facing him.

"Yes?", he replied.

"We never got the chance to properly thank you for saving Dr. Lazarus' life two months ago, not to mention being by our side in this whole affair with Colonel Daniels", he said as the black man smiled.

"Think nothing of it…Manson, is it?", he asked, who nods. "Being given a second chance, I'm gonna hold onto it like grim death. Glad I could be of service."

Mostly everyone grinned at that.

"See you later, Sarge, everyone", Manson replied, & he & Starkweather take off.

"You boys need a lift?", Marie asks.

"We've already got one, thanks", Starkweather called back.

Reed turns to Roy, Becky, Rally & Minnie-May.

"On behalf of all the officers from Metro West & Lieutenant Hedgecock's SWAT team, I want to thank the four of you for attending this service", he says. "We're most grateful."

"Think nothing of it, Sergeant Reed", Roy said. "Dr. Lazarus & Murphy himself were more than generous enough in doing so to our officers who got killed during that ED-209 fiasco in May, so we're merely returning the favor."

"We're still grateful to you nonetheless."

The four Chicago-ites smile at each other.

"As long as we're here, there's someone _I _need to go & say hello to", RoboCop said as he turns to his left & marches off away from the group.

"Where's _he _going?", Becky Farrah wondered. "And who _is _that someone he mentioned?"

It took Reed & Marie a moment, but they get hit with the answer in unison.

"Reed & I know _exactly _who he's referring to, Becky. Follow us. We'll show you who he meant", Marie said, heading off after RoboCop with Reed & the others joining her. Several yards away was a tombstone which RoboCop stood motionless at, staring down at the name on the headstone. When the rest arrive, they see the name clearly.

**ANNE LEWIS**

**DEVOTED POLICE OFFICER**

**NOW SERVING GOD**

That's when it hit Rally, Minnie-May & the rest.

"_Now _I see", Becky said softly to the two Gunsmith Cats. "You mentioned of an 'Anne Lewis' to me before, didn't you?"

"Only what Murphy told us of her, Becky", Minnie-May said in the same tone. "But in that short time we shared, it was quite a lot. She was very much like a kindred spirit to him."

RoboCop continues staring down Lewis' grave as images & memories begin entering his mind. The first was when they first met at Metro West after Lewis finishes beating on a violent suspect.

Reed: _Lewis, come here when you're finished fucking around with your suspect _(she takes her helmet off). _This guy's gonna be your new partner. Murphy, meet Lewis. Show him the neighborhood._

Lewis (taking Murphy's hand & shaking it): _Glad to know you, Murphy._

Murphy: _Pretty neat._

Entering the parking garage, they approach their cruiser.

Lewis: _I better drive until you know your way around._

Murphy (getting in the driver's seat): _I usually drive when I'm breaking in a new partner._

Next scene in Murphy's mind is at a deli where Murphy twirls his gun in his right hand as Lewis walks forth with two cups of coffee, taking a sip from one.

Lewis: _Pretty fancy moves, Murphy._

Murphy (reloading his gun): _Uh, yeah, well, my son Jimmy watches this cop show T.J. Lazer, and this Lazer guy does this every time he takes down a bad guy. So naturally, my kid thinks every good cop should…_

Lewis: _And you don't want to disappoint him._

Murphy: _Yeah, well, role models can be very important to a boy._ (Taking his own coffee, he takes a sip from it). _Okay, okay, I get a kick out of it._

Lewis smiles.

Scenes of an underground parking garage comes next as a police cruiser stops in his face as a battered RoboCop stares in its headlights. Coming out is a worried Officer Lewis.

Lewis: _Murphy! Murphy, it's me! Lewis!_

Remembering her, RoboCop is helped into her cruiser just as Hedgecock's team spots them & opens fire as they drive away.

Now comes a pair of scenes recalling the steel mill as Lewis lays asleep while RoboCop uses jars of baby food for target practice. The first shots wake Lewis up abruptly.

Lewis: _What are you doing?_

Robocop (firing a few more shots) _My targeting system is a little messed up. _(he continues shooting, only to hit a screwdriver).

Lewis (putting her belt on): _Can I help you?_

RoboCop: _Aim for me._

Lewis gets behind her cybernetic partner as Murphy gets his targeting grid in view.

Lewis: _Are you locked in now?_

RoboCop: _Yes._

Lewis (moving his arm over): _A little more to the left. Here. _(getting in position, RoboCop fires his gun & smashes all three baby food bottles). _I figure that's dead-on._

RoboCop: _Thank you._

His memory goes to when he's pinned under a steel girder dropped on him by Leon Nash from above & has just stabbed Clarence Boddicker in the neck, his chest & arm splattered with his blood as he removes the metal spike from his chest on the left.

RoboCop: _Lewis! Lewis!_

Lewis: _Murphy, I'm a mess._

RoboCop: _They'll fix you. They fix everything._

With his great strength, he pushes the steel girder off of him before his vision switches over to the parking garage as Lewis enters the cruiser with Murphy after declining her body armor from a fellow female officer, saying she's 'off-duty'.

Lewis: _What's up, anyway?_

RoboCop: _Do you have family?_

Lewis: _Yeah, I have a brother in Pittsburgh, the one who doesn't call. You know that. Robo, are you okay?_

RoboCop: _I'm fine. And call me Murphy._

Next came a scene where things took a turn for the worse where Murphy & Lewis were at a standoff with rehab leader Paul McDaggett at a local church.

McDaggett: _Stay right there._

Lewis: _We're police officers._

McDaggett: _We don't want you. We have reason to believe there are squatters in that structure. Now step away from the door._

Lewis: _They're civilians inside. They're just trying to stay warm!_

McDaggett: _Those people belong in the nearest rehabilitation center. Some of them are armed terrorists. Now step away from the door or you will be cited for obstructing justice. Look, I'm not going to ask politely next time. Now, step away from the door. This is your final warning._

Taking a look at the civilians inside the church & then back at McDaggett & his heavily armed team, Murphy fires off a few rounds at McDaggett's feet, trying to scare him off - a tactic which doesn't work.

RoboCop: _You are making a mistake. Back off, or there will be trouble._

Lewis (drawing her gun): _Now you're talking, Murphy. We're not budging! If you wanna get in there, you're gonna have to shoot through us!_

McDaggett: _I don't have a huge problem with that._

Rifle in hand, the rehab leader fires off a few rounds, hitting Lewis in the chest. After a brief but fierce firefight, Murphy carries a severely wounded Lewis to the altar of the church & places her down gently.

Lewis: _Some tough cop I am. Huh, partner? Murphy…I'm scared._

RoboCop: _Don't be. It won't hurt long._

Lewis: _Get them for me. Promise me._

RoboCop: _I promise._

Lewis (putting her hand to his face): _Murphy._

Seconds later, Lewis expires, & Murphy's world takes an emotional nosedive.

RoboCop: _Officer down._

Marie Lazarus' voice brings Murphy back to the present, & his vision is that of everyone staring at him in concern.

"Hey there…you doing okay?", Marie asks. "You've been acting like a statue for several minutes."

RoboCop's answer was almost immediate.

"I'm good, Marie", he says. "I was just…"

"Reminiscing about old times with your partner?", Rally says. Murphy stares at her with an amazement he scarcely experiences.

"Yes, Rally", he says. "Sorry. I sometimes get too…lost in thought about certain things."

"Hey, don't apologize", Minnie-May said. "We all know how much you miss her, Murphy. But try & think of it like this: Lewis gave her life so that others may live. And isn't that what being a cop is all about?"

"And as Roy pointed out, she got the justice she deserved in the end", Becky adds. "I know she's happy about that - _and _the fact that you're continuing your duties like she'd want you to. Right?"

Everyone, including RoboCop, can't deny the charm that Becky Farrah, Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins possess, & their smiles (from most) show how impressed each one is of these three ladies from the Windy City.

"I gotta say, these three show an intellect & intelligence that's unparalleled with _most _folks their age", Johnson says. "I've _never _seen anything like it."

"_I _have, Johnson", Marie says. "I see something of myself in Becky Farrah here. I was quite the little brainiac at a young age during my school years, even before I reached my teens."

Becky got a little red in the face, & both ladies share a smile.

"And I guess I see a hell of a lot of _Rally _in _me_", Hedgecock said. "I was pretty much the tomboy back in my high school days."

"With that attitude, I'm guessing you _fought _your way to the position you're at now, huh?", Rally joked. Hedgecock seemed stunned at first, but then let out a brief laugh until he was forced to stop himself as those gathered around him.

"You okay, Lieutenant?", Roy Coleman asked.

"I'll live", Hedgecock said. "But only if I refrain from laughing too much."

"Oops! Sorry about that", Rally apologized with a sheepish smile.

"It's cool, Miss Vincent. It's just that laughter may not be the best medicine for _me _right now, if you catch my meaning."

Rally's smile went brighter.

"Gotcha!", she says playfully.

"In all, Becky Farrah, Rally Vincent & Minnie-May Hopkins are all correct", Murphy said. "No words can describe how much I still miss Officer Anne Lewis. But I can take comfort that she died doing what she loved best - being a cop. And protecting the innocent _is _what it's mostly about."

"And stopping evildoers & making them pay for their atrocities is _another _primary reason why we put on the badge", Roy adds.

RoboCop turns to him.

"Well said, Detective Coleman", he says. "How's the leg feeling?"

"It does itch now & then, but at least I didn't lose it entirely. I tell you - that Auto-9 sure packs quite the _punch!_ Good thing _Rally _doesn't have one of those things! No offense, girl."

"None taken, Roy", Rally says nonchalantly with a wave of her hand. Sans Hedgecock & RoboCop, everyone laughed briefly but the Lieutenant _does _smile.

_Although it'd be _really _heavenly to possess a gun like Murphy's!_, Rally thought with her disappointment concealed.

"Wicked cool! Mom, look - it's RoboCop!", said a young boy's voice. Everyone turns to see a boy in shorts & a t-shirt with light brown hair run up to the group as his mother - with dark brown hair & wearing a red dress with blue skirt & white shoes - hurries to catch up. The boy & his mother were known to everyone in the group, including Roy, Becky, Rally & Minnie-May, having seen photos of them from Marie during their last meeting & recently.

It was Murphy's wife & son Ellen & Jimmy.

No one moved or said anything: it was a critical moment for all, but mostly for Murphy, as his vision begins to show moments of him, Ellen & Jimmy during happier times - times before he became a cyborg. Reed & company kept quiet & let the dilemma run its course as Jimmy looks up at the cyborg officer.

"Hey, RoboCop! Nice to meet you! I'm Jimmy!", Jimmy said with a big grin, holding his toy gun in one hand.

"It's…nice to meet you as well, Jimmy", RoboCop said, extending his hand for Jimmy to shake it, which he does with his free hand.

"Folks, I'm sorry for this intrusion", Ellen said as Jimmy withdraws his hand. "We were just leaving some fresh flowers over at my husband's grave, & then my son Jimmy saw RoboCop here, &…"

"No need for apologies, Mrs. Murphy", Reed said. "We were here for basically the same reason you were, having services for our fallen comrades, plus paying a visit to a fellow officer we'd lost a while back."

Ellen looks at the name on the gravestone, & she recognizes it.

"I recall that officer", she said. "She was shot & killed in the line of duty - just like my own husband was."

Reed & his group bow their heads not only in respect, but also due to the fact that her 'late' husband was standing in reincarnated cybernetic form right before her & Jimmy, & no one in the group dares to say a word about it.

It killed them, but they all knew it was right to keep quiet about the truth.

The silence ended when Jimmy took notice of Rally & Minnie-May.

"Hey, I know you two as well!", Jimmy said, smiling.

"You do?", the girls say together.

"Sure! You're those two 'Gunsmith Cats' from Chicago, right?"

Rally & Minnie-May stare at each other & smile.

"That's us, Jimmy!", Rally said.

"Guilty as charged!", Minnie-May adds.

"I thought so!", Jimmy said. "I hear about your many adventures all the time, like that time you battled those creeps Bonnie & Clyde, & that filthy dirtbag named Gray! And then there was that ED-209 invasion you both spoiled with RoboCop's help, not to mention tackling that impostor a few days ago! You both & him make a _great _team! Tell me - will you be staying here in Detroit? This city can always use more crime-fighters!"

Rally & Minnie-May start to turn red in the face.

"Sorry Jimmy, Minnie-May & I need to head back home soon, now that the danger of that renegade, I.E. Colonel Aaron Daniels, is passed", Rally says. "I do wish we _could_, though."

"You be a good boy & be sure to keep your mother safe, okay?", Minnie-May said with a wink.

"No problem - when I grow up, I'll be a cop _just _like my dad & protect _all _the moms in Detroit!", Jimmy said. "Here's a little trick I watched my dad do many times!"

With his toy gun, Jimmy starts spinning it on his finger for about a second or two before it falls right off & onto the grass five feet away. Rally starts to giggle, trying hard not to burst out laughing.

"Yeah, I know. Not so good, is it?", Jimmy said, heading over to where his gun lay. Rally & Minnie-May head over towards him as the former takes her own gun from her holster.

"No Jimmy, it's not bad", Rally says. "But you see, the problem is you're using your entire _hand _to make it twirl. Here - let me show you how it's done."

With her CZ-75 handgun in her finger, Rally twirls her gun like a pro & stuffs it in & out of her shoulder holster repeatedly. Jimmy's eyes widen, being hypnotized & highly impressed by her little performance.

"Neat! How'd you _do _that, Rally?", he asks excitedly.

"You see, Jimmy - it's all in the movement of the finger itself!", she explains. "Let _it _do the majority of the work! The hand's mostly for just support!"

Rally does her performance with her gun a few more times as Ellen & the group watch the bond between a future cop & professional bounty hunter shape itself into a fine display. But as happy as she is to see her son that way, Ellen had something to get off her chest which couldn't wait, for fear it might consume her if she doesn't deal with it now.

And this was the perfect opportunity to do it.

"Jimmy, could you go back to the car & wait for me there?", Ellen asks as Rally stops her twirling of her gun, holstering it.

"Why, mom? What did I do?", Jimmy asked.

"Nothing, sweetheart. Would you please?"

"You'd better do as your mom says, Jimmy", Rally said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And don't forget what I taught you, okay?"

Rally winked & gave him a thumbs-up.

Jimmy smiled & nodded.

"I won't. Thanks, Rally!", he says, heading back towards his car parked somewhere on the far side of the cemetery. Approaching RoboCop, Jimmy says farewell to him with the cyborg cop returning the gesture. When her son was far enough away, Ellen made her move & steps in front of RoboCop.

"RoboCop?", she began.

"Yes?", he replied.

"First off, I need to make an apology to you."

"Apology? Whatever for?"

"For believing that you were my husband brought back to life. I never meant to cause you any confusion, & if I did, I want to express my sincerest apologies to you. Will you accept them?"

"No apologies are necessary, Mrs. Murphy. It was an honest mistake, one that can happen to anyone. If you feel guilty about such a belief, I hope this helps to relieve you of your burden."

"It's a start, thank you. There's something else I'd like to bring up with you, if you don't mind."

RoboCop took a moment before answering.

"Of course. What would that be, Mrs. Murphy?", he asked.

"You may not really be my husband reincarnated, but I know you wear a man-made face in his image", Ellen said. "My husband Alex was a good cop - a _very _good cop. All I ask is that you honor him with your performances as they made that face for you to do the same. Will you do that for him?"

RoboCop nodded.

"I certainly shall, Mrs. Murphy", he said. "Thank you."

"No - thank _you_", Ellen replied. "It's because of you that my son & I feel safe every day we wake up in the morning & live our life. I just don't know what we'd do without you in our fair city. Happy Fourth of July."

"Happy Fourth of July", everyone replied as Ellen walks off to head back to her car where Jimmy was waiting. Once she gets to a safe distance away out of ear shot, Becky Farrah was the first to speak.

"So _she _was that 'associate' you told me about!", she said.

"You mean to say that your wife saw you once with your helmet off?", Roy asked.

"Yes, to both your questions", RoboCop said. "I pretended not to know her to spare her the pain of her & Jimmy knowing that their husband & father is more machine than man. It's better this way. Dr. Lazarus & even Minnie-May know this best, possible even better than I myself do."

"Count me in as well, Murphy", Becky says. "I can see that you had your reasons to keep it confidential from them, but it must _still _gnaw at you like a cancer to have your life taken away as it was - being shot up violently & made into a robot."

"Cyborg, actually. But yes, Becky Farrah - there are times when the emotional pain now & then resurfaces. And while I may not like it & get a repulsive feeling, I _have _learned to live with it as best I can."

"Well, we're always going to be by your side through it all, Murphy", Reed said. "Don't ever forget that."

RoboCop takes a moment to check out everyone's faces, from Reed's to those of the two Gunsmith Cats. All of them have put on faces that speak truthfully, indefinitely & without any argument. Even Lieutenant Hedgecock has that same look, considering he nearly once had to destroy Murphy for believing to go rogue himself as Daniels did. But if Donald Johnson can change from an unfeeling businessman to a humane person (& occasional hero), then who's to say that Hedgecock's heart is all stone & doesn't see past smoke screens?

Anyone can change for the better, if they were willing to work at it.

"Thank you, everyone", RoboCop replied. "We should go, Sergeant Reed. Holiday or not, we are still on duty."

Reed grins & chuckles slightly.

"How true, Murph", he says. "We'll see you for tonight's fireworks display, we hope."

"Go ahead, fellas", Rally said. "Minnie-May, Becky, Roy & myself should start heading back to Chicago. It's quite a drive back to the Windy City."

"Actually Rally…I think Kate's got things well in hand back home", Roy said with a wink.

"You mean…?"

"Yep! Let's stick around to celebrate our nation's birthday here in the Motor City! I'd say we've _earned _it! Don't you?"

Rally, Minnie-May & Becky smile widely.

"Oh yeah!", they all say cheerfully, raising a fist in the air. Grins from most of the group ensue.

"Excellent! Then we _will_ see you folks tonight!", Reed says, heading back to his car with Murphy by his side.

"Come on, Lieutenant. I'll give you & Detective Coleman a lift in his minivan", Rally says as she takes the keys out of her pocket.

"Thanks, Rally", Roy said.

"Much obliged, Miss Vincent", Hedgecock said.

The Lieutenant steers his motor-operated wheelchair in the direction of Roy's minivan as Detective Coleman works his crutches towards his vehicle.

"And while Miss Vincent does _that_, I'll offer _you_ three a lift", Johnson said to Marie, Becky & Minnie-May.

Nodding, they follow the black man to his vehicle. Marie walks alongside Johnson while Becky & Minnie-May stay a few feet behind.

"I'm glad they're still going ahead with the fireworks display, considering that an entire _building_ came crashing down a few days ago", Becky said.

"Well, Johnson _did _say in his report to Media Break that it was totally evacuated when it did, sans for that of Juliette Faxx & Gray Jr.", Minnie-May says.

"Well, I doubt anyone's going to give a rat's ass about _those _two. They _were _criminals, & tried to _kill _you & the others."

"Not to mention tried to transfer Colonel Daniels' consciousness into Murphy's body, & vice versa. Were it not for Marie's anti-virus program, they would've succeeded. By the way, you & her did great in sending that lost video of Dr. Faxx setting up & then murdering Eric Smalls to bring the truth to light."

"No problem, Minnie-May. I only wish that evidence had surfaced during the actual trial against you & Rally back then, because I've always had my suspicions about it. And what do you know? Some years later, we go & dig up some positive proof to not only clean up _that _little misunderstanding, but Colonel Daniels gets to know his wife & daughter's _real _killers. In short, we get two birds with one stone."

"More or less, Becky. Now I can only hope Daniels has finally found peace, & that all of his ghosts are laid to rest for good. He deserves _that _much."

Aside from a nod, neither one said any more after that, & walk on in silence.

Marie & Johnson, though, do not.

"They're not wrong", Marie said, listening in on their conversation.

"Far from it", Johnson replied. "Colonel Daniels had become an unwilling monster in one woman's mad dream of reaching the top. How ironic that she was killed by that very monster she helped to create. But then, if you've either read Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' novel or seen the original 1931 movie with Boris Karloff, you'll note the similarities."

"How true. Those who create monsters are always at risk of getting destroyed by them. Dr. Faxx found _that _out the hard way, being a victim of her own folly. Johnson, you don't suppose there's a chance that Daniels might've…"

"Survived? Doubtful, Dr. Lazarus. Even Murphy wouldn't be able to live through having an entire building collapse onto him. He's awfully tough, but he's still not a 'Man of Steel' from Krypton, if you know what I mean."

Marie & Johnson grin big from his last remark as they reach Johnson's vehicle, a 6000 SUX, & Becky & Minnie-May enter the back seat.

"Oh, Dr. Lazarus?", Johnson said, getting to the driver's door.

"Yes?", she says, reaching the passenger side door.

"Sometime next week, I'd like for Murphy to come down to Silverman Robotix to get a serious upgrade not only in systems, but also in maintenance. I think he's way past due for one."

Marie grins big.

"So do I. I'll set Murphy up for an appointment", she says.

Johnson nods with a big grin of his own as he & Marie get in & starts the engine. The SUX comes to life with a roar, & Johnson takes the vehicle out of the cemetery & onto Woodward Avenue, heading straight for the city.

With the danger over, it was time to celebrate with both in memory of the Detroit Police's fallen officers & America's birthday.

And the Fourth of July is the day to do it.

**MEMORIALS:**

Lillian Musial, Wife of St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial, 91 (1920-2012)

James Browning, The Nation's Longest-Serving Federal Appellate Judge, 93 (1918-2012)

Jerry McMorris, Instrumental Figure in Bringing MLB to Denver, 71 (1941-2012)

Nicholas Katzenbach, Held Posts in Kennedy & Johnson Administrations, 90 (1922-2012)

Denny Fitch, Pilot who Helped Fly Crippled Jet in 1989, 69 (1942-2012)

Evelyn Bryan Johnson, Pilot & Guiness W.R. Holder Known as 'Mama Bird', 102 (1909-2012)

Harold Poling, Former Ford Motors Company CEO, 86 (1925-2012)

Kevin Hickey, Pitched with Chicago White Sox & Baltimore Oriles, 56 (1956-2012)

Barbara Kydd Graves, Wife of Publisher of Black Enterprise Magazine Earl, 75 (1936-2012)

Ya Weilin, Father of Man Killed in 1989 Tiananmen Square Crackdown, 73 (1938-2012)

Johnie Kirton, Arena Football Player, 26 (1986-2012)

Junior Seau, NFL Star, Played for Chargers, Dolphins & Patriots, 43 (1969-2012)

Andrew Levane, Coached the New York Knicks, 92 (1920-2012)

Lloyd Brevett, Renowned Bassist & Co-Founder of Skatalites Band, 80 (1931-2012)

Adam 'MCA' Yauch, Member of Rap Trio Beastie Boys, 47 (1964-2012)

Bob Heisler, Worked at The Daily News & Newsday, 60 (1952-2012)

George Lindsey, Actor, Best Known for 'Griffith' & 'Hee Haw', 83 (1928-2012)

Aatos Errko, Media Mogul & Board Member of News Corp., 79 (1932-2012)

Bob Stewart, Created TV Game Shows, Including 'The Price Is Right', 91 (1920-2012)

Maurice Sendak, Author, Created 'Where The Wild Things Are' Book, 83 (1928-2012)

Stacy Robinson, Giants Receiver, Helped Team Win Two Super Bowls, 50 (1962-2012)

Vidal Sassoon, Celebrity Hairstylist, 84 (1928-2012)

Louis Pollak, U.S. Judge, Worked on Brown vs. Board Case, 89 (1922-2012)

Horst Faas, Celebrated & Pulitzer Prize-Winning War Photographer, 79 (1933-2012)

Carroll Shelby, Auto Designer & Racing Icon, 89 (1923-2012)

Mort Lindsey, Arranger & Conductor, 89 (1923-2012)

Abraham Shenkman, World War II Veteran, 100 (1912-2012)

Paul Dee, Led University of Miami Athletics, 65 (1947-2012)

Donald 'Duck' Dunn, Member of 1960s Group Booker T. & the MGs, 70 (1941-2012)

Mitchell Guist, Cast Member of Reality TV Show 'Swamp People', 47 (1964-2012)

Frank Knight, Fought to Save Elm Tree 'Herbie', 103 (1909-2012)

Mike McGrady, Award-Winning Columnist for Newsday, 78 (1933-2012)

Carlos Fuentes, Mexican Novelist & Essayist, 83 (1928-2012)

Mary Richardson Kennedy, Estranged Wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 52 (1959-2012)

Richard Frank, Retail Exec & World War II Veteran, 91 (1921-2012)

Chuck Brown, Go-Go Music Pioneer, 75 (1937-2012)

Donna Summer, The Self-Proclaimed 'Queen of Disco', 63 (1948-2012)

Alvin Benjamin, World War II Hero & Developer, 91 (1920-2012)

Warda, Sultry-Voiced Algerian Songstress, 72 (1939-2012)

Herbert Breslin, Publicist & Manager to Singer Luciano Pavarotti, 87 (1924-2012)

Doug Dillard, Influential Banjo Player, 75 (1937-2012)

Ed Ray, Hero Bus Driver in 1976 Kidnapping Case, 91 (1921-2012)

Robin Gibb, British Pop Singer & Member of Bee Gees Group, 62 (1949-2012)

Thomas Allocca, Intelligence Flight Navigator During the Cold War, 73 (1939-2012)

Steve Buczak, World War II Aviator & Local Historian, 87 (1925-2012)

Bob Boozer, 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist & Played for NBA, 75 (1937-2012)

Bill Stewart, Ex-College Football Coach, 59 (1952-2012)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Renowned German Baritone Singer, 86 (1925-2012)

Eugene Polley, Invented First Wireless Television Remote, 96 (1915-2012)

Eddie Blazonczyk, Grammy Award-Winning Polka Great, 70 (1941-2012)

Katie Beckett, Inspired Health Reform, 34 (1978-2012)

Jean Craighead George, Widely Regarded Children's Author, 92 (1919-2012)

Hal Jackson, Pioneering Radio Personality, 96 (1915-2012)

Janet Carroll, Actress, Played Tom Cruise's Mom in 1983's 'Risky Business', 71 (1940-2012)

Wesley Brown, 1st Black Naval Academy Graduate, 85 (1927-2012)

Paul Fussell, Author & Literary Scholar, 88 (1924-2012)

Terry Martin, Iconic Surfboard Maker, 74 (1937-2012)

Willie Robinson III, Drag Race Organizer, 69 (1942-2012)

Al Gordon, Emmy Award-Winning Comedy Writer, 89 (1923-2012)

Frederick Roemer, Served As Minesweeper in World War II, 88 (1923-2012)

Alfred Seaman, Former Mayor & World War II Veteran, 99 (1912-2012)

Sandy Dahl, Widow of Flight 93 Captain Jason M. Dahl, 52 (1960-2012)

Otis Clark, Survivor of 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, 109 (1903-2012)

Johnny Tapia, Five-Time Boxing Champion, 45 (1967-2012)

Jim Paratore, Well-Regarded TV Producer & Co-Founder of TMZ Program, 58 (1954-2012)

Doc Watson, Grammy Award-Winning Folk Musician, 89 (1923-2012)

Ed Monroe, Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel & Educator, 80 (1932-2012)

Michael J. O'Neill, Editor for New York Daily News, 89 (1922-2012)

Ellen Levine, Author of Children's Books, 73 (1939-2012)

Edgar Freitag, Broadway Theater Producer, 80 (1932-2012)

Jack Twyman, One of the NBA's Top Scorers in the 1950s, 78 (1934-2012)

Orlando Woolridge, Rugged NBA Forward for Bulls, Lakers & Others, 52 (1959-2012)

Guy G. Rutherfurd, Former Law Firm Partner, 96 (1916-2012)

Dick Beals, Radio & Television Star, Voiced 'Gumby' Character, 85 (1927-2012)

Sattareh Farman Farmaian, Iran Social Worker, 90 (1921-2012)

Kathryn Joosten, 'Desperate Housewives' & 'The West Wing' Actress, 72 (1939-2012)

Richard Dawson, Former 'Family Feud' TV Game Show Host, 79 (1932-2012)

Eduard Khil, Soviet Crooner Known Internationally as Mr. Trololo, 77 (1934-2012)

LeRoy Ellis, Played in NBA & New York's St. John's University, 72 (1940-2012)

Adolfo Calero, Former Nicaragua Contra Leader, 80 (1931-2012)

Marion Sandler, Former CEO of Golden West Financial Corp., 81 (1930-2012)

Pedro Borbon, Former Pitcher for Cincinnati Reds, 65 (1946-2012)

Jim Unger, Award-Winning Cartoonist for his 'Herman' Comic Strip, 75 (1937-2012)

Herb Reed, Last Surviving Member of 1950s Group The Platters, 83 (1928-2012)

Prince Tomohito, Cousin of Japanese Emperor Akihito, 66 (1946-2012)

Ray Bradbury, Science Fiction-Fantasy Author, Wrote 'Fahrenheit 451', 91 (1920-2012)

Philip Tobias, World-Renowned Anthropologist, 86 (1925-2012)

Cotton Owens, NASCAR Hall of Famer, 88 (1924-2012)

Eugene Ferkauf, Founder of E.J. Korvette Chain of Discount Stores, 91 (1920-2012)

Hal Keller, Former General Manager for the Seattle Mariners, 83 (1928-2012)

Vladimir Krutov, Soviet Hockey Great, 52 (1960-2012)

Bob Welch, Former Guitarist for Fleetwood Mac, 65 (1946-2012)

Ghassan Tueni, Veteran Lebanese Journalist, Politician & Diplomat, 86 (1926-2012)

Pete Brennan, University of North Carolina Basketball Star, 75 (1936-2012)

Robert E. Bill, New York Giant-Turned-Executive, 72 (1939-2012)

John Medlin Jr., Wachovia Corporation Chairman, 78 (1933-2012)

Nolan Miller, Designer for Television, Most Notably for 'Dynasty', 79 (1933-2012)

Gerald Parker Hodge, World-Renowned Medical Illustrator, 91 (1920-2012)

Frank Cady, Character Actor, Best Known for 'Green Acres' Sitcom, 96 (1915-2012)

George Fowler, Amateur Softball Star & World War II Veteran, 86 (1926-2012)

Pete Cosey, Innovative Guitarist, Played with Muddy Waters & Other Greats, 68 (1943-2012)

Gene Selznick, Beach Volleyball Legend, 82 (1930-2012)

Teofilo Stevenson, Gold Medalist Olympic Boxer, 60 (1952-2012)

Stan Jolley, Longtime Disney Art Director, 86 (1926-2012)

Elinor Ostrom, First Woman to Win A Nobel Prize in Economics, 78 (1933-2012)

Ann Rutherford, Actress, Best Known in 1939's 'Gone With the Wind', 94 (1917-2012)

J. Michael Riva, Oscar-Nominated Film Production Designer, 63 (1948-2012)

Frances Williams Preston, President of Broadcast Music Incorporated, 83 (1928-2012)

Bill Farrell, Olympic Wrestling Coach, 82 (1930-2012)

Crown Prince Nayef Abdulaziz, Next in Line to the Saudi Throne (1933-2012)

Yvette Wilson, Actress & Comedian, 48 (1964-2012)

Tom Manyard, Welsh Cricketer, 23 (1989-2012)

Nils Karlsson, Swedish Cross-Country Ski Icon, 94 (1917-2012)

Bob Chappuis, College Football Star & Hall of Famer, 89 (1923-2012)

William S. Knowles, Chemist who Shared 2001 Nobel Prize, 95 (1917-2012)

Richard Stolz, Veteran CIA Operative, 86 (1925-2012)

Erica Kennedy, Blogger who Wrote 'Bling' & 'Feminista' Novels, 42 (1969-2012)

Rodney King, Victim of Famous 1992 LAPD Brutality Case, 47 (1965-2012)

Dan Dorfman, Veteran Buisness Journalist, 80 (1931-2012)

Lillian Gallo, Producer of Film & Television, 84 (1928-2012)

R.C. Owens, NFL Wide Receiver & Longtime 49ers Front Office Man, 77 (1934-2012)

Victor Spinetti, Acclaimed Comic Actor, Appeared in All 3 Beatles Films, 82 (1929-2012)

Susan Tyrrell, Oscar-Nominated Actress Known for Offbeat Roles, 67 (1945-2012)

Robert J. Kelleher, Oldest Serving Federal Judge in the Nation, 99 (1913-2012)

Andrew Sarris, Movie Critic who Popularized French Reverence for Directors, 83 (1928-2012)

LeRoy Neiman, Artist Known for Painting Biggest Sports & Leisure Events, 91 (1921-2012)

Richard Lynch, Noted Horror & Science-Fiction Movie Actor, 76 (1936-2012)

Patrick Sullivan, FDNY First responder to the 9/11 Attacks, 58 (1954-2012)

Dan Scott, Football Star who Played in 2 Rose Bowls, 60 (1952-2012)

Anna Schwartz, Noted Economist, 96 (1915-2012)

Richard Adler, Tony Award-Winning Broadway Composer & Lyricist, 90 (1921-2012)

Laurabelle Zack Oatis, Helped Free Husband During the Cold War, 88 (1924-2012)

John Caulfield, Served Under Richard Nixon & Former NYPD Detective, 83 (1929-2012)

Walter J. Meissner, Firehouse Engineer & World War II Veteran, 92 (1920-2012)

Darrel Akerfelds, Bullpen Coach for San Diego Padres, 50 (1962-2012)

Lesley Brown, Mother of World's First Test-Tube Baby, 64 (1948-2012)

James Lynch, Lawyer, Lector & World War II Veteran, 90 (1921-2012)

Daniel Batman, Former Olympic Sprinter from Australia, 31 (1981-2012)

Nora Ephron, Writer, Producer, Director & 3-Time Oscar Nominee, 71 (1941-2012)

Gad Beck, Gay Jewish Survivor of World War II Holocaust, 88 (1923-2012)

Barry Becher, Infromercial Pioneer & Ginsu Knives King, 71 (1941-2012)

Eddie Jones, Former NFL Executive & President of Miami Dolphins, 74 (1938-2012)

Pat Cummings, Former Player for the New York Knicks, 55 (1956-2012)

Doris Singleton, Actress, Best Known for TV Sitcom 'I Love Lucy', 92 (1919-2012)

Don Grady, TV Actor, Best Known for Sitcom 'My Three Sons', 68 (1944-2012)

Judy Agnew, Widow of Former Vice President Spiro Agnew, 91 (1921-2012)

Yitzhak Shamir, Former Israeli Prime Minister, 96 (1915-2012)

Armando Montano, News Intern for the Associated Press, 22 (1990-2012)

Jack B. Lacy Jr., Ex-Federal Prosecutor Led Historic Civil Rights Case, 69 (1943-2012)

Corky Taylor, Ex-Basketball Player Involved in 1972 Big Ten Brawl, 60 (1952-2012)

Joan Scott, Blacklist-Era TV Writer, 91 (1921-2012)

Sergio Pininfarina, Former Head of Ferrari Design Company, 85 (1926-2012)

Julian Goodman, Former President at NBC, 90 (1922-2012)

Doris Sams, Female Pitcher who Inspired 1992's 'A League of Their Own', 85 (1927-2012)

Evelyn Lear, American Soprano Opera Star, 86 (1926-2012)

Frank Celentano, World War II Veteran, 90 (1922-2012)

Ben Davidson, One-Time Football Star for Oakland Raiders & Actor, 72 (1940-2012)

Andy Griffith, Iconic Actor, Director, Producer, Singer & Writer, 86 (1926-2012)

Eric Skyes, Widely-Acclaimed British Comedy Actor & Writer, 89 (1923-2012)

Jimmy Bivins, Hall of Fame Boxer from the 1940s & 1950s, 92 (1919-2012)

Judith Wallerstein, Noted Divorce Researcher, 90 (1921-2012)

Walter J. Zable, Tech Innovator & Founder/Chief Exec of Cubic Corp., 97 (1915-2012)

Michael Ybarra, Extreme Sportsman & Former Los Angeles Times Reporter, 45 (1966-2012)

Robert Reno, Former Newsday Business Columnist, 72 (1939-2012)

Leontine Kelly, Pioneering Black Bishop, 92 (1920-2012)

Mohammed bin Saud, Senior Prince & Ex-Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia, 78 (1934-2012)

Lionel Batiste, Treme Bass Band Singer, 81 (1931-2012)

Martin Pakledinaz, Tony Award-Winning Costume Designer, 58 (1953-2012)

Pete Rustan, Aerospace & Surveillance Innovator, 65 (1946-2012)

Carmela Sbarro, Pizza Company Matriarch, 90 (1922-2012)

Anthony Sedlak, Celebrity Chef Hosted Food Network Canada's 'The Main', 29 (1983-2012)

Ernest Borgnine, Oscar-Winning Actor from Film & Television, 95 (1917-2012)

Colin Marshall, Guided British Airways to Privatization, 78 (1933-2012)

Berthe Meijer, Dutch Holocaust Survivor & Author, 74 (1938-2012)

Richard B. Scudder, Co-Founder & Ex-Chairman of MediaNews Group Inc., 99 (1913-2012)

Dr. Joseph Kirsner, Digestive System Expert, 102 (1909-2012)

Peter Sauer, Led Stanford to Final Four in 1998, 35 (1976-2012)

Eugenio de Araujo Sales, Former Bishop from Rio de Janeiro, 91 (1920-2012)

Manny Topol, Former Reporter for Newsday, 76 (1935-2012)

Marion Cunningham, Home-Cooking Champion, 90 (1922-2012)

Marvin Traub, Former President & CEO of Bloomingdale's, 87 (1925-2012)

Joe McBride, Celtic Striker, Part of 1967 European Cup-Winning Squad, 74 (1938-2012)

Kenny Heitz, Former UCLA Hoops Player, 65 (1947-2012)

Maria Hawkins Cole, Widow of Nat 'King' Cole & Mother of Natalie Cole, 89 (1922-2012)

Dara Singh, Bollywood Action Hero, 84 (1928-2012)

Richard Zanuck, Oscar-Winning Hollywood Producer, 77 (1934-2012)

Sage Stallone, Son of Actor Sylvester Stallone, 36 (1976-2012)

Norman Sas, Creator of the Electronic Tabletop Football Game, 87 (1925-2012)

Celeste Holm, Oscar-Winning Broadway Actress, 95 (1917-2012)

Sixten Jernberg, Four-Time Olympic Champion Cross-Country Skier, 83 (1929-2012)

Barton Biggs, Ex-Morgan Stanley Strategist who Warned of Dot-Com Crash, 79 (1932-2012)

Stephen R. Covey, Author of 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People', 79 (1932-2012)

Donald J. Sobol, Author of Popular 'Encyclopedia Brown' Book Series, 87 (1924-2012)

Masaharu Matsushita, Former President of Panasonic Corporation, 99 (1913-2012)

Jon Lord, Former Keyboardist for Rock Band Deep Purple, 71 (1941-2012)

Bob Babbitt, Prominent Motown Studio Musician & Funk Brothers Member, 74 (1937-2012)

Bill Asher, Directed & Produced 'I Love Lucy' & 'Bewitched', 90 (1921-2012)

Kitty Wells, First Female Superstar of Country Music, 92 (1919-2012)

Antonin Holy, Czech Scientist, Contributed in Developing Antiviral Drugs, 75 (1936-2012)

William Raspberry, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Columnist for the Washington Post, 76 (1935-2012)

Rajesh Khanna, Bollywood Superstar, 69 (1942-2012)

Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, Revered Ultra-Unorthodox Israeli Rabbi, 102 (1910-2012)

Tom Davis, Emmy Award-Winning Writer & Comedian for SNL, 59 (1952-2012)

Howard 'Corty' Bishop, World War II Veteran, 88 (1924-2012)

Sylvia Woods, The 'Queen of Soul Food' from Harlem, 86 (1926-2012)

Frank 'Pancho' Martin, Hall of Fame Kentucky Derby Trainer, 86 (1926-2012)

Jack Reyna, Son of Soccer Hall of Famer Claudio Reyna, 13 (1999-2012)

Alexander Cockburn, Longtime Columnist for 'The Nation' Magazine, 71 (1941-2012)

Oswaldo Paya, Longtime Cuban President, 60 (1952-2012)

Kile Glover, Stepson of R&B Singer Usher, 11 (2001-2012)

Herbert Vogel, Avid Modern Art Collector, 89 (1922-2012)

Jacqueline Piatigorsky, Rothschild Heiress, 100 (1911-2012)

Raul O. Garces, Veteran Associated Press Correspondent, 73 (1939-2012)

Ginny Tyler, Former Disney Head Mouseketeer & Voice Actress, 86 (1925-2012)

Louise Nippert, Cincinnati Reds Owner During Big Red Machine Era, 100 (1911-2012)

John Atta Mills, President of Ghana, 68 (1944-2012)

Frank Pierson, Oscar-Winning Screenwriter & Film Director, 87 (1925-2012)

Sally Ride, First American Woman to Fly Into Space, 61 (1951-2012)

Sherman Hemsley, Actor, Best Known for 1970s Sitcom 'The Jeffersons', 74 (1938-2012)

William Staub, Developer of the Home Treadmill, 96 (1916-2012)

Jack Davis, Champion Hurdler, Won 2 Olympic Silver Medals in 1950s, 81 (1930-2012)

Chad Everett, Actor, Best Known for 1970s TV Series 'Medical Center', 75 (1937-2012)

Ann Curtis, 3-Time Medal-Winning Swimmer from the 1984 Olympics, 86 (1926-2012)

Dennis Avery, International Philanthropist, 71 (1940-2012)

Thelma McWilliams Glass, Civil Rights Pioneer, 96 (1916-2012)

Neil Reed, Former Indiana Basketball Player, 36 (1976-2012)

Robert S. Ledley, Inventor of Full-Body CT Scanner, 86 (1926-2012)

Lupe Ontiveros, Veteran Actress in Film & Television, 69 (1942-2012)

Larry Hoppen, Guitarist for Rock Band Orleans, 61 (1952-2012)

Carroll, Freeze, Longtime Administrator Assistant for Newsday, 80 (1932-2012)

Rita Miljo, Baboon Conservationist & Rescuer, 81 (1931-2012)

Broc Cresta, Rodeo Roping Professional, 25 (1987-2012)

Fioravante Perrotta, Influential Aide to Governor Rockefeller & Others, 80 (1931-2012)

Maeve Binchy, Beloved Irish Author, 72 (1940-2012)

Suzy Gershman, Author of Bestselling 'Born To Shop' Guides, 64 (1948-2012)

Gore Vidal, Celebrated Author, Playwright & Commentator, 86 (1925-2012)

Raymond Ramos, Former Suffolk County Correction Officer, 85 (1927-2012)

Joe Walsh, Harvard Baseball Coach, 58 (1954-2012)

Art Malone, Former NFL & Arizona State Running Back, 64 (1948-2012)

Tony Martin, Crooner & Star of Movie Musicals, 98 (1913-2012)

William J. Bott III, Specialist on New York Stock Exchange Floor, 33 (1979-2012)

Mary Louise Rasmuson, Alaska Philanthropist, 101 (1911-2012)

Chris Marker, Noted French Filmmaker, 91 (1921-2012)

William Milliken Jr., Renowned Aeronautical Engineer, Pilot & Road Racer, 101 (1911-2012)

Bernd Meier, Ex-Bundesliga Goalkeeper & Footballer, 40 (1972-2012)

John Keegan, British Academic & Military Scholar, 78 (1934-2012)

Paul McCracken, Former Economic Adviser to Several U.S. Presidents, 96 (1915-2012)

Chavela Vargas, Famed Mexican Singer, 93 (1919-2012)

Mihaela Ursuleasa, Internationally Renowned Romanian Pianist, 33 (1978-2012)

Jimmy Jones, Singer-Songwriter, Sang 'Handy Man' & 'Good Timin'', 82 (1930-2012)

Fred Matua, Former Southern California NFL Lineman, 28 (1984-2012)

Larry Borger, Arborist & Business Owner, 97 (1915-2012)

Garrett Reid, Oldest Son of Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid, 29 (1983-2012)

Gene Smith, Wrote Biographies of World Leaders, 83 (1929-2012)

Martin Fleischmann, Achieved Nuclear Fission in a Glass Bottle in 1989, 85 (1927-2012)

John J. Phelan, Managed NY's 'Black Monday' Market Crash in 1987, 81 (1931-2012)

Major Ignacy Skowron, Last Known Polish Survivor of WW II's 1st Battle, 97 (1915-2012)

Anna Piaggi, Fashion Journalist who Inspired Designer Karl Lagerfeld, 81 (1931-2012)

Judith Crist, Popular Film Critic for the 'Today' Show & TV Guide, 90 (1922-2012)

Marvin Hamlisch, Award-Winning Composer who Scored Dozens of Films, 68 (1944-2012)

Eddie Barker, Made 1st Report of John F. Kennedy's Assassination, 84 (1928-2012)

Bernard Lovell, Pioneering British Physicist & Astronomer, 98 (1913-2012)

Mark O'Donnell, Tony Award-Winning Writer of Broadway Shows, 58 (1954-2012)

Stuart Swanlund, Mrshall Tucker Band Guitarist, 54 (1958-2012)

Pete Pedersen, Longtime California Steward & Respected Racing Official, 92 (1920-2012)

Robert Hughes, Controversial Art Critic, 74 (1938-2012)

Ken Revell, Noted Reed Player & Music Teacher, 85 (1926-2012)

Pyotr Fomenko, Renowned Russian Stage Director, 80 (1932-2012)

Dale Olson, Veteran Hollywood Publicist, 78 (1934-2012)

Mel Stuart, Directed 1972's 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory', 83 (1928-2012)

David Rakoff, Humorist & Regular Contributor to 'This American Life', 47 (1964-2012)

Carlo Rambaldi, Three-Time Oscar-Winning Special Effects Master, 86 (1925-2012)

Albert Freeman Jr., Veteran Actor & Director, 78 (1934-2012)

Helen Gurley Brown, Legendary Editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine, 90 (1922-2012)

Johnny Pesky, Beloved Player, Manager & Broadcaster for Boston Red Sox, 92 (1919-2012)

Ron Palillo, Actor, Best Known as Horshack in 'Welcome Back, Kotter', 63 (1949-2012)

Nellie Gray, Founder & Chief Organizer of March For Life, 86 (1926-2012)

Irving Fein, Producer & Manager for George Burns & Jack Benny, 101 (1911-2012)

Jimmy Carr, Ex-NFL Player/Coach, Won 1960 Championship with Eagles, 79 (1933-2012)

Von Freeman, Jazz Saxophonist who Made Every Song His Own, 88 (1923-2012)

Michael Dokes, Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion, 54 (1958-2012)

Joan Roberts, Actress of Theatre, Film & Television, Starred in 'Oklahoma!', 95 (1917-2012)

Harry Harrison, Sci-Fi Author & Creator of 'Stainless Steel Rat' Character, 87 (1925-2012)

Burl Osborne, Former Chairman of the Board of the Associated Press, 75 (1937-2012)

Phyllis Thaxter, Actress Best known as Clark Kent's Mom in 'Superman', 92 (1919-2012)

Greg Buckley Jr., U.S. Marine, 21 (Killed in Afghanistan on August 10, 2012)

Joey Kovar, 'Celebrity Rehab' & 'The Real World: Hollywood' Star, 29 (1983-2012)

Austen Everett, Goalkeeper for Miami Hurricanes Women's Soccer Team, 25 (1986-2012)

Svetozar Gligoric, Legendary Chess Grandmaster, 89 (1923-2012)

Patrick Ricard, Transformed Small Firm Into Global Liquor Entity, 67 (1945-2012)

Veronique Peck, Wife of Actor Gregory Peck, 80 (1932-2012)

Tony Scott, Director of Many Hit Hollywood Movies, Including 'Top Gun', 68 (1944-2012)

Scott McKenzie, Singer, Best Known for 1967 'San Francisco' Song, 73 (1939-2012)

Phyllis Diller, Pioneering Standup Comic, 95 (1917-2012)

George Hickman, One of the Original Tuskegee Airmen, 88 (1924-2012)

Simon Gourdine, Former NBA Deputy Commissioner, 72 (1940-2012)

William Windom, Actor from TV Comedy 'My World & Welcome To It', 88 (1923-2012)

Remy Charlip, Dancer & Children's Author, 83 (1929-2012)

Karl Fleming, Reporter who Covered Civil Rights Era, 84 (1927-2012)

Meles Zenawi, Ethiopian Prime Minister, 57 (1955-2012)

Alice Fallon, One Million Dollar Lottery Winner from Queens, 96 (1916-2012)

Spurgeon Keeny Jr., Arms-Control Expert, 87 (1924-2012)

Ben Isaacs, Oldest & Believed Last Pullman Porter, 107 (1904-2012)

Guy Spitaels, Belgian Socialist Leader, 80 (1931-2012)

Charles Huggins, Ran Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s See's Candies, 87 (1925-2012)

Marvin W. Meyer, Expert on Gnosticism, 64 (1948-2012)

R. Duncan Luce, UC Irvine Mathematical Psychologist, 87 (1925-2012)

Nina Bawden, British Writer & Children's Novelist, 87 (1925-2012)

Harry Barnes Jr., Former United States Diplomat, 86 (1926-2012)

Steve Van Buren, Hall of Fame Running Back for Philadelphia Eagles, 91 (1920-2012)

Jerry Nelson, Puppeteer for 'Sesame Street', 'The Muppet Show' & More, 78 (1934-2012)

Jerry Grant, Race Car Driver for the Indianapolis 500, 77 (1935-2012)

Neil Armstrong, First Man To Walk On the Moon On July 20, 1969, 82 (1930-2012)

A.K. Hangal, Veteran Indian Actor, 98 (1914-2012)

Tomas Sedlacek, Czech General Fought With the Allies in World War II, 94 (1918-2012)

Willard Butcher, Former Head of Chase Manhattan Bank, 85 (1926-2012)

Terry Tracy, Icon of Surfing, 77 (1935-2012)

Ruggiero Ricci, Violin Virtuoso, 94 (1918-2012)

Malcolm Browne, Photographer of Vietnamese Burning Monk on June 11, 1963, 81 (1931-2012)

Art Heyman, Basketball Great, Played with Duke Blue Devils, 71 (1941-2012)

Juan Valdez, Land Grant Activist Helped Spark the Chicano Movement, 74 (1934-2012)

Ingus Naruns, Cellist, Played for the Beatles, Bee Gees & Boston Pops, 87 (1925-2012)

Chris Lighty, Manager of Sean 'Diddy' Combs, 50 Cent & Others, 44 (1968-2012)

Steve Franken, Veteran Film & Television Actor, 80 (1932-2012)

Lucimarian Roberts, Mother of 'Good Morning America' Co-Host Robin, 88 (1924-2012)

Sergei Sokolov, Soviet Defense Minister Fired Over Red Square Landing, 101 (1911-2012)

Carlo Maria Martini, Italian Cardinal, Long Considered Papal Contender, 85 (1927-2012)

Max Bygraves, Veteran British Entertainer Known for Old-Fashioned Charm, 89 (1922-2012)

May Newburger, Powerful Long Island Politician, 92 (1920-2012)

R. Palmer Beasley, Made Link to Hepatitis & Cancer, 76 (1936-2012)

Peter Zwack, Hungarian-Born Liquor Magnate, 85 (1927-2012)

Howard Israel, Father of Long Island Representative Steve, 78 (1934-2012)

Shulamith Firestone, Feminist Author of 'The Dialectic of Sex', 67 (1945-2012)

William W. Momyer, Retired Air Force General, 95 (1916-2012)

Melvin Schachter, Engineer, Shutterbug & World War II Veteran, 88 (1924-2012)

Thomas Hartnett, NYC Labor Lawyer, 67 (1945-2012)

Donald Petrie, Executive & World War II Veteran, 90 (1922-2012)

Phil Antonucci, Guitarist, Played in Various Bands, 59 (1953-2012)

Melva Radcliffe, Believed to be Jew Jersey's Oldest Resident, 111 (1901-2012)

Woody Crockett, Tuskegee Airman in World War II, 93 (1918-2012)

Nicholas Brett, Mechanic, Businessman & World War II Veteran, 85 (1927-2012)

Roger Dunn, One-Time Professional Golfer & Ran Golf Stores, 81 (1931-2012)

J. Lloyd Abbot Jr., Retired Navy Rear Admiral & World War II Veteran, 94 (1918-2012)


End file.
